36 Plums and Plum Culture 



plums; and most of the cultivated varieties are chance 

 survivals from plants primarily set for stocks. 



The Myrobalan plum was described as a par- 

 ticular variety in Prince's Pomological Manual (1831) 

 and in the first edition of Downing (1845); anc * tne 

 name is similarly treated by nearly all the older Euro- 

 pean authors. This name, however, does not properly 

 apply to any particular variety, but is a group name 

 like Damson or Chicasaw. The best types of the 

 species which I know among the cultivated varieties 

 are Brill and Frostproof. Next to these I would 

 name a sort found in some collections as Hogg's No. 

 2 (a name which I do not think it worth while to re- 

 vise). Yet my friend, J. W. Kerr, thinks this is the 

 same as Marianna. Decaradeuc is generally under- 

 stood to be pure Myrobalan, and it is probably not 

 very far from the type. But Marianna seems to be 

 impregnated with a strain of native blood, and im- 

 presses one as Myrobalan blended with Chicasaw. 



Professor Bailey has elaborately traced the history 

 of the Myrobalan group and of the Marianna as related 

 to it.* The close relationship of the Marianna to the 

 Myrobalan group is indicated by the ease with which 

 it grows from cuttings, in which particular it strangely 

 excels the Myrobalan itself. 



Marianna was extensively advertised a few years 

 ago and widely planted. This was certainly a mis- 

 fortune for everybody, unless the nurseryman made 

 some money out of it. Marianna, besides being self- 

 sterile, is a poor fruit for orchard purposes. It is not 

 good in quality, nor large in size, and is so soft and 

 watery as to be of little value when secured. Occa- 

 sional well-grown specimens are passable, but the 



'Cornell Experiment Station Bulletin 38:32. 1892. Also "Evolution 

 of Our Native Fruits." 208. 1898. 



