The Americana Group 49 



named varieties of the Americanas now propagated 

 and cultivated than of any other group of plums, not 

 excepting the popular Japanese plums or the old- 

 established Domesticas. There are no statistics at 

 hand, but I feel sure that there are more acres planted 

 to Americanas than to varieties of any other class 

 excepting the Domesticas, and possibly the Japanese. 

 These statements are not intended to be a recommend- 

 ation of the Americana plums, but mere expressions 

 of fact. 



In its native forms the species Prunus americana 

 ranges from Ohio to Texas, and northward to Minne- 

 sota and Montana. Along the northern border of this 

 range and eastward in New York state it shades away 

 insensibly into Prunus americana nigra (the Nigra 

 group"). Horticulturally the Americana plums range 

 from Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Vancou- 

 ver to Florida, Louisiana and Texas. In the southern 

 part of this range, however, they are not very success- 

 ful. They can hardly be recommended as profitable 

 for orchard planting south of the 37th or 38th parallel. 

 Over a large area, however, especially in northern 

 Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Minnesota, the 

 Dakotas, Montana and that part of Canada between 

 Ontario and Vancouver, they are practically the only 

 plums that can be grown. In extremely exposed sit- 

 uations they are almost the only fruit of any kind that 

 will thrive. The northern limit of their cultivation 

 has not yet been reached. They, with the Nigras, will 

 probably be able to go as far north as the land can ever 

 be cultivated. Professor C. C. Georgeson of Sitka, 

 Alaska, writes me that he has seen no plums growing 

 in that country, but I have not the slightest doubt but 

 that the Americanas and Nigras will succeed per- 

 fectly there. 



The indigenous Americanas grow usually along 



