80 



502 YEAEBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



far the most extensively planted. Quite recently renewed interest m 

 the damsons has brought to light several promising new sorts, of 

 which the three following are considered worthy of illustration at 

 this time: 



RlLEY. 



This variety was discovered as a chance seedling about 1890 on the 

 grounds of Mr. J. N. Riley, at Washington C. H., Ohio. It has an 

 excellent record for productiveness and is reported to be especially 

 resistant to the black-knot. Mr. Riley began its propagation in a 

 small way about 1890 and disseminated it locally without a name 

 shortly thereafter. It was named "Riley," in honor of the originator^ 

 in 1901 by Messrs. McNary & Gaines, of Xenia, Ohio, and was intro- 

 duced by them in 1902. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form globular; size medium; cavity small, shallow, abrupt; stem 

 slender and of medium length; suture very shallow; apex minute > 

 surface moderately smooth, glossy; color very dark brownish purple, 

 covered with a profuse bluish-white bloom; dots small, russet^ 

 indented; skin thick, brittle, without trace of bitterness; flesh yel- 

 lowish, translucent, with yellow veins, meaty and juicy; stone of 

 medium size, roundish oval, semiadherent; flavor subacid, rich; 

 quality good to very good for culinary use. Season, August 15 to 

 September 1 at Washington C. H. , Ohio. 



The tree is reported to be a strong grower, both in nursery and in 

 orchard, and very productive. 



The specimen illustrated on Plate LXIII was grown at Washington 

 C. H., Ohio. 



SCIOTO. 



This variety has been grown at Chillicothe, Ohio, formerly a noted 

 damson district, for nearly seventy-five years, generally under the 

 name "Mussel," but sometimes as "Chickasaw," the name commonly 

 applied to the native species Prunus angustifolia. It was brought to 

 Chillicothe by Miss Palace Hill in 1831, in the form of young trees, 

 from Petersburg, Va. These trees were from the nursery of her 

 brother, Mr. Joseph C. Hill, who started a nursery on Halifax street, 

 in that city, in 1820. The variety had been found by him on the farm 

 of his brother, Mr. Thomas Hill, near Boilings Bridge, North Caro- 

 lina, on the Roanoke River. a It is a damson of superior quality and 

 is highly esteemed in Ross County, Ohio. It is reputed to reproduce 

 itself very closely through its seedlings, though commonly propagated 

 by sprouts. So far as known, it has not been formally named and 



Statements of William E. Hill, Chillicothe, Ohio, January, 1906, through letters 

 of William B. Mills. 



