THE VARIOUS FRUITS 103 



any recommendations in a general work like the 

 present. The principal groups of varieties are as 

 follows : 



The European plums, derived from the botanical 

 species, Primus domestica, and numbering such 

 diverse varieties as Green Gage, Fellemberg, Lom- 

 bard, Coe's Golden Drop, Magnum Bonum or Yel- 

 low Egg, and many others of considerable value. 

 These are grown successfully on the Pacific coast, 

 where many of them are known as prunes, and in 

 Michigan, New York and New England. Else- 

 where they are generally a highly qualified success. 



The Damsons. These are small, mostly blue 

 plums, very sour. They are hardy and prolific, and 

 many housewives have a great predilection for them 

 in the making of preserves. There is usually a good 

 demand for them in the market. They succeed in 

 the same territory as the European plums men- 

 tioned above, but may be grown fairly well also in 

 Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illi- 

 nois, and Indiana. The best varieties are Shrop- 

 shire, Cluster and French Damson. 



The Japanese plums have become very popular, 

 especially in the eastern, central and southern 

 states. They come quickly into bearing, are very 

 prolific and are not generally subject to serious dis- 

 eases. The best varieties are Red June (on account 

 of its earliness rather than for quality), Abundance, 

 Burbank, and Satsuma (with red flesh). 



Native plums of several different species are 

 worth cultivating in the garden, especially in the 

 Gulf and Mississippi Valley states. In these sec- 

 tions the nurserymen propagate for sale many ex- 

 cellent varieties, of which the best known are Wild- 



