-Li 



LITTLE-KNOWN FKUIT VARIETIES. 387 



Agricultural Experiment Station, has found to cover most of its bloom- 

 ing period. The variety is hardy in fruit bud when dormant, endur- 

 ing low winter temperatures, and appears to be promising for the 

 commercial planter in all sections where earliness and resistance to rot 

 are important. 



WICKSOX PLUM. 



( SYNONYM : Perfection. ) 



[PLATE XLIX.] 



This variety, one of the first valuable sorts of the Japanese type 

 originated in this country, was grown by Mr. Luther Burbank, of Santa 

 Rosa. Cal., from a seed of Kelsey. The first specimens of this variety 

 received at the Department of Agriculture were furnished b} T Mr. Bur- 

 bank under the provisional name "* Perfection" in August, 1892, with the 

 statement that the original tree was grown from "Kelsey seed crossed 

 with Burbank pollen." The variety was briefly described under that 

 name in the report of the Pomologist for that year, p. 263. It was 

 commercially introduced by Mr. Burbank in 1893 under the name 

 Wickson," and was widely distributed in 1894: in the form of grafting 

 wood. Scions top- worked on bearing trees in Michigan fruited largely 

 in 1896, and their fruit surpassed in size and beauty the specimens pre- 

 viously received from the originator. Young trees planted at various 

 points from Georgia to Connecticut and throughout the West have 

 thus far borne rather sparingly, and the fruit has been found quite 

 susceptible to rot in wet seasons. Notwithstanding these defects, the 

 variety is one of much promise and worthy of planting in an experi- 

 mental way wherever plums are grown. The specimen shown on 

 PL XLIX was grown by Mr. George E. Murrell, at Fontella, Va. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form oblong conical, sometimes distinctly pointed; size large to 

 very large; surface smooth, glossy, with numerous minute russet dots; 

 color yellow, washed and marbled with dark brownish red, giving it 

 a very rich, variegated effect; bloom thin, transient; cavity rather 

 large, deep, and abrupt: stem rather stout; suture deep at base and 

 distinct to apex; skin moderately thick, tenacious, rather acid; stone 

 oval, of medium size, semiadherent; flesh yellowish, translucent, with 

 yellow veins, firm and meat}' when ready for market, but melting and 

 jiticy when fully ripe; flavor sweet, rich, aromatic; quality very good. 



The tree is very erect, with long and narrow leaves, and the fruit is 

 borne on spurs on the old wood rather than on the strong leading 

 shoots of the previous year, as with most of the Japanese sorts. It is 

 hardy and blooms abundantly, but its productiveness in the Eastern 

 States is vet to be established. It is one of the earliest to blossom, 

 and should probably have such early sorts as Red June, Burbank, 



