ORIENTAL PLUMS 9 



ern Siberia, and northern China. But the Chi- 

 nese apricot-plum, known to the botanist as 

 Prunus Simonii, must have originated in some 

 semitropical climate. It has form and color sug- 

 gestive of a tomato. It perhaps originated near 

 the native home of the apricot, to which fruit it 

 appears to be somewhat more closely related than 

 to other plums. 



The fruits of China, apparently, have not been 

 greatly modified for many centuries. They 

 therefore tend to fixity. Indeed, they furnish a 

 typical example of the way in which the conserv- 

 atism of a race may be stamped upon its fruit. 

 Or is it that people and plants alike are con- 

 servative because of the climatic conditions that 

 environ them? 



In any event, the Chinese plum, when com- 

 bined with other species of plums, brings to the 

 union characteristics that are highly important. 



Thus the Chinese plum has a delightful aroma, 

 it is of unique form and rich color, and the stone 

 is very small in proportion to the flesh. 



On the other hand this plum is chiefly adapted 

 to arid, semitropical climates; the fruit is likely 

 to remain bitter, and it may crack so badly as to 

 be utterly worthless. 



Fortunately the merits may be retained, and 

 the faults eliminated, in the hybrid progeny. 



