198 



EXCELSIOR 



FORMOSA 



Tree variable in size, vasiform, dense-topped, hardy, 

 productive. Leaves oval, 2 inches wide, 3 *4 inches long ; 

 apex roundish-pointed ; base obtuse ; margin finely cre- 

 nate, eglandular or with small dark glands ; petiole % 

 inch long, pubescent, faintly tinged red, glandless or 

 with 1 or 2 small, globose, greenish-yellow glands. 

 Flowers 1 inch across. Fruit midseason ; 1 % by 1 % 

 inches, oval, swollen on the suture side, halves equal ; 

 cavity shallow, narrow, abrupt ; suture a line ; apex 

 bluntly pointed or roundish ; color dark purplish-black ; 

 bloom heavy ; dots numerous, russet ; stem % inch long, 

 pubescent, adhering well to the fruit ; flesh golden- 

 yellow, juicy, coarse, firm, sweet, pleasant-flavored, 

 sprightly ; good ; stone oval, strongly flattened, with 

 roughened and deeply pitted surfaces, blunt at the base 

 and apex. 



EXCELSIOR. P. salicinaXP. Munsoni- 

 ana. This variety originated with G. L. Taber, 

 Glen Saint Mary, Florida, in 1887, from seed 

 of Kelsey supposed to have been pollinated 

 by Wild Goose, although some authorities 

 believe De Caradeuc to have been the male 

 parent. It seems to be a promising variety 

 in the South, and was mentioned in the last 

 three catalogs of the American Pomological 

 Society. 



Tree vigorous, vasiform ; branches slender ; leaves of 

 medium size, narrow ; margin finely crenulate, glandu- 

 lar ; petiole short, with from one to three small glands ; 

 flowers small, scattered. Fruit early,; of medium size, 

 roundish, dark red with heavy bloom ; skin tough ; flesh 

 firm, yellowish, with red tinge towards the center ; 

 quality good ; stone of medium size, compressed, cling- 

 ing. 



FIELD. P. domestica. Early Bradshaw. 

 This offspring of Bradshaw resembles its 

 parent in tree, and in size, color, and shape of 

 fruit, although not so closely as to be readily 

 mistaken for the older variety. Differences 

 which distinguish the fruits of the two are: 

 those of Field are a trifle smaller; more nearly 

 round; lack the prolonged neck of the Brad- 

 shaw fruit; and are more plump at the base. 

 Field ripens its fruit earlier than Brad- 

 shaw, the latter difference accounting for the 

 synonym, "Early Bradshaw." In tree-charac- 

 ters, Bradshaw excels in having a larger tree 

 and in being more productive. The foliage of 

 Field is very good; it ripens its wood well; 

 begins to bear while young; but is inclined to 

 a biennial-bearing habit, which makes the 

 average in quantity of fruit low. Like Brad- 

 shaw, Field is little attacked by San Jose scale. 

 Field is a seedling of Bradshaw grown in 

 Schoharie County, New York, a generation ago. 



Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, 

 dense-topped, hardy, productive. Leaves obovate, 2 

 inches wide, 4 % inches long ; apex abruptly pointed ; 

 base acute ; margin serrate, with a few, small, black 

 glands ; petiole 1 inch long, thick, tinged with red, 

 sparingly pubescent. Flowers 1 inch across. Fruit 

 midseason ; 2 by 1 % inches, oblong-oval, compressed, 

 halves equal ; cavity shallow, narrow, abrupt ; suture 

 shallow, broad ; apex roundish ; color dark purplish-red ; 

 bloom heavy ; dots numerous, small, russet, clustered 

 about the apex ; stem % inch long, pubescent, adhering 

 well to the fruit ; flesh greenish-yellow, juicy, sweet, 

 mild ; of fair quality ; stone clinging, ovate, with 

 roughened and pitted surfaces, blunt at the apex and 

 base. 



FOREST GARDEN. P. hortulana Mineri. 

 Forest Garden is widely distributed in the 

 Central West, where both in tree- and fruit- 

 characters it seems adapted to the needs of 



climate and soil. The fruit is late, maturing 

 at a good time for shipping, for which it is 

 further adapted by tough skin and firm flesh; 

 and, while not preeminently well fitted for 

 dessert, it has a spicy flavor that makes it 

 pleasant eating and admirably adapted for 

 culinary purposes, especially for preserving. 

 This variety is from a wild plum found in the 

 woods near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by Thomas 

 Hare, about 1862. 



Tree large, very vigorous, spreading, with sprawling 

 habit, flat-topped, perfectly hardy, variable in produc- 

 tiveness, bearing young, susceptible to shot-hole fungus. 

 Leaves falling early, elongated-oval, peach-like, 1% 

 inches wide, 4 *4 inches long, thin and leathery ; apex 

 taper-pointed ; base abrupt ; margin doubly crenate, 

 glandular ; petiole % inch long, sparingly pubescent, 

 faintly tinged with red, usually with 2 conspicuous, 

 globose, brownish glands. Flowers % inch across, with 

 a strong, disagreeable odor. Fruit late ; 1 % inches 

 in diameter, large, round-ovate, compressed, halves 

 equal ; cavity shallow, wide, flaring ; suture a line ; 

 apex roundish or pointed ; color dark red ; bloom light ; 

 dots numerous, russet, conspicuous ; stem slender, % 

 inch long, glabrous, detaching from the fruit at ma- 

 turity ; flesh dark golden-yellow, juicy, coarse, fibrous, 

 melting, sweet next the skin, sour toward the center, 

 with a strong and peculiar flavor, aromatic ; good ; stone 

 clinging, oval, turgid, blunt, flattened at the base, end- 

 ing in an abrupt but sharp point at the apex, smooth. 



FOREST ROSE. P. hortulana Mineri. 

 Forest Rose and Forest Garden are similar in 

 many characters. The fruit of Forest Rose, 

 however, is not so attractive in color, is smaller, 

 and does not keep nor ship quite so well as 

 that of Forest Garden, but it is better in 

 quality; and the variety is better adapted for 

 the home orchard at least. While somewhat 

 variable in productiveness in most localities, 

 Forest Rose bears annually and abundantly. 

 The trees are more thorny than those of most 

 of its species. This variety is said to be a 

 seedling of Miner, grown by Scott & Company, 

 a Missouri nursery firm, about 1875. 



Tree medium to large, upright-spreading, open-topped, 

 hardy, variable in productiveness, susceptible to attacks 

 of shot-hole fungus. Leaves falling very early, obovate, 

 1^ inches wide, 4 inches long, thin; apex acuminate; 

 base acute ; margin crenate or serrate, with small, dark 

 glands ; petiole slender, % inch in length, sparsely 

 pubescent along one side, tinged with red, glandless 

 or with 1-3 small, globose or oval, greenish-brown 

 glands. Flowers % inch across, white, with a disagree- 

 able odor. Fruit late ; 1 % by 1 inch, round-oval ; cavity 

 shallow, flaring ; suture a line ; apex roundish ; color 

 dull crimson ; bloom light ; dots very numerous, small, 

 gray, conspicuous ; stem slender, % inch long, smooth, 

 parting from the fruit ; flesh dull apricot-yellow, juicy, 

 fibrous, tender, melting, sweet next to the skin, tart 

 toward the center, aromatic : good ; stone clinging, oval, 

 acute at the apex, with pitted surfaces. 



FORMOSA. P. salicina X ? Formosa is one 

 of Luther Burbank's new plums introduced 

 by the Fancher Creek Nurseries, Fresno, Cali- 

 fornia, in 1907. The variety is now rather 

 commonly grown in California, but is scarcely 

 known elsewhere. Burbank says that it is of 

 mixed parentage and "probably includes the 

 blood of from fifteen to eighteen varieties." 

 Tree and fruit show many characters of the 

 Japanese plums. 



Tree very vigorous and productive, fruiting annually 

 and heavily, tender to cold, healthy in the Pacific states. 

 Fruit midseason, medium to large, oval or slightly 

 cordate ; suture deep and very prominent ; cavity me- 



