NEW PLUMS AND PRUNES 125 



mostly because the Beach plum blossoms very 

 late, long after all other plums have shed their 

 bloom. 



Finally, however, very late blossoms of the 

 latest plums of other species were cross-fertilized 

 with some of the earliest Beach plum blossoms, 

 the crosses being made both ways. 



In the meantime I had been growing seedlings 

 of the Beach plum by the hundred thousand. By 

 continuous selection I had produced varieties 

 bearing fruits nearly an inch in diameter, of a 

 pleasing form and color, of delicious flavor. The 

 trees, moreover, had almost incredible produc- 

 tiveness together with increased size and vigor. 



Although my most enthusiastic friends often 

 laughed at these extensive experiments with 

 what they called my "huckleberry plum," and 

 some of the best fruitgrowers made sport of the 

 insignificant fruit, I saw in the little Beach 

 plum great hardiness, late blooming, enormous 

 productiveness, and the ability to withstand 

 adverse conditions, and was sure of some meas- 

 ure of success. 



Several crosses were finally made between the 

 improved maritima and the best cultivated varie- 

 ties of 'other American and Japanese hybrid 

 plums. No really good fruits were obtained in 

 the first generation, but some excellent varie- 



