194 



CHALCO 



CLIMAX 



splashes of russet, and have a heavy but del- 

 icate bloom. To secure the best coloring, the 

 fruit must be picked before ripe and be ma- 

 tured in dark storage. Early picking is neces- 

 sary, also, because the season of ripening is long, 

 and the fruit drops badly if permitted to hang 

 on the trees until fully ripe. Unfortunately, 

 the quality of the fruit belies its appearance, 



187. Chabot. (XD 



being at best not above average. The plums 

 are firm, ship well, and keep rather better 

 than those of any other variety of its species. 

 The trees are hardy and dependable in bearing, 

 but are not productive. The blossoms of 

 Chabot open late, so that this sort escapes 

 frosts which injure other varieties of its species. 

 The stamens are often short, undeveloped, and 

 wholly or in part sterile. Chabot was im- 

 ported from Japan by a Mr. Chabot, Berkeley, 

 California, and was introduced by Luther Bur- 

 bank in 1886. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, open-topped, 

 slow-growing, hardy, productive, susceptible to attacks 

 of shot-hole fungus. Leaves obovate, peach -like, 1% 

 inches wide, 3 inches long, thin ; apex acutely pointed ; 

 base cuneate ; margin finely serrate, with small, amber 

 or dark red glands ; petiole % inch long, slender, 

 pubescent along the upper surface, heavily tinged with 

 red, glandless or with 1-6 small, globose or reniform, 

 greenish-brown glands. Fruit midseason ; 1 % inches 

 in diameter, cordate or roundish, halves equal ; cavity 

 deep, flaring, with concentric, russet rings ; suture dis- 

 tinct ; apex roundish or pointed ; color light and dark 

 shades of red over yellow, mottled, with occasional 

 splashes of russet ; bloom heavy ; dots numerous, small, 

 russet or yellow, conspicuous, clustered around the apex ; 

 stem thick, *& inch long, adhering to the fruit ; flesh 

 golden-yellow, very juicy, coarse, fibrous, tender, melt- 

 ing, sweet, sprightly ; good ; stone clinging, oval, turgid, 

 necked, with pitted surfaces. 



CHALCO. P. Simonii X P. salicina. Chalco 

 has been extensively advertised, but it is 

 doubtful whether it will ever be grown commer- 

 cially. The trees are slow in coming into bear- 

 ing; the fruits are small; and the flavor such 

 that consumers will have to learn to like it, al- 

 though it is much better in quality than the 

 Simon plum, one of its parents. The tree is 

 better than that of the Simon plum or of the 

 Wickson, the two plums with which it must 



be compared. Burbank, in introducing this 

 plum in 1898, stated that it was the first fruit 

 offered after twelve years' work in crossing 

 P. Simonii with P. salicina and American 

 species. The parentage of Chalco is given as 

 a Simon-Burbank cross. 



Tree vigorous, upright or vasiform, very productive ; 

 leaves large, dark green. Fruit matures shortly before 

 Burbank ; large, when well grown, oblate, dark red ; flesh 

 yellowish, firm, very juicy, aromatic, sweet ; good ; 

 stone small, oval, slightly flattened, semi-free. 



CHENEY. P. nigra. Cheney is of little 

 value except towards the northern limits of 

 fruit-culture in America, where, because of 

 its great hardiness, it is a most desirable fruit- 

 plant. The fruit of this variety is not such 

 as to recommend it where other species can 

 be grown, but the tree has some characters 

 most desirable wherever plums are grown 

 hardiness, vigor, productiveness, and good 

 form. The trees are very ornamental whether 

 in flower, full leaf, or fruit, but especially 

 when in full bloom, as they bear a great pro- 

 fusion of large white flowers which change to 

 pink before falling. Cheney was discovered 

 by E. Markle, La Crosse, Wisconsin, about 

 1880. 



Tree large, vigorous, spreading, dense-topped, hardy, 

 productive, bears early. Leaves oval, 1% inches wide, 

 3% inches long, thin; apex taper-pointed; margin 

 crenate, usually in two series, sometimes with small, 

 dark glands ; petiole % inch long, slender, pubescent, 

 tinged red, glandless or with from 1 to 3 small, globose, 

 greenish-yellow glands. Flowers showy, about 1 inch 

 across, white changing to pink. Fruit midseason ; 

 medium in size, round-oval, oblique, halves equal ; 

 cavity shallow, regular, flaring ; suture a line ; apex 

 roundish, oblique ; color deep carmine on a yellow 

 ground ; bloom light ; dots numerous, very small, russet, 

 densely clustered about the apex ; stem slender, % 

 inch in length, pubescent, adhering to the fruit ; flesh 

 deep yellow, very juicy, fibrous, tender, melting, sweet 

 next to the skin, tart at the center ; fair in quality ; 

 stone adhering, broadly oval, distinctly flattened, blunt- 

 pointed, with ridged and furrowed surfaces. 



CLIMAX. P. salicina X P. Simonii. Royal. 

 From its behavior in the plum-growing re- 

 gions of the East, it seems certain that Climax 

 cannot stand the vicissitudes of the climate, 

 since it suffers both in winter and in summer. 

 The trees, in size, vigor, and habit of growth, 

 are inferior to those of most Japanese varieties, 

 and are not so productive. The fruit is hand- 

 some in shape and color, and is of good qual- 

 ity. Unfortunately, the fruit is very susceptible 

 to brown-rot, so much so that Climax could 

 hardly become a profitable commercial plum 

 where this fungus is found. The variety has 

 been well tested, and has proved so uniformly 

 disappointing in tree-characters that it cannot 

 be recommended except for the home collec- 

 tion, in which, because of the beauty and high 

 quality of the fruit, it is most desirable. 

 Climax is another of Luther Burbank's plums, 

 having been introduced in 1899. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, straggling, 

 dense-topped, semi-hardy, medium productive. Leaves 

 oblanceolate, peach-like, 1% inches wide, 3^ inches 

 long, thin ; apex taper-pointed ; base cuneate ; margin 

 finely serrate or crenate, with small, dark brown glands ; 

 petiole -fa inch long, sparsely pubescent, tinged red, 

 glandless or with 1-7 small, globose or slightly com-" 



