208 



MAQUOKETA 



MILTON 



nated near Lake City, Florida, from seed of 

 Kelsey, and was introduced in 1910 by the 

 Glen St. Mary Nurseries. The fruits are de- 

 scribed as midseason, of medium size, round, 

 yellow washed with dull red in the sun; dots 

 numerous; bloom thin; flesh yellow, firm, 

 juicy, subacid; good. 



MAQUOKETA. P. hortulana Mineri. 

 Maquoketa is one of the best of the native 

 plums for culinary purposes, which also keep 

 and ship well. The trees, like those of nearly 

 all the Miner-like plums, are better formed and 

 more adaptable to orchard conditions than 

 those of other native sorts. After the Ameri- 

 cana and Nigra plums, Maquoketa is one of 

 the hardiest of the native varieties, growing 

 even in Minnesota. The variety belongs, 

 however, in the South and Middle West. The 

 origin of this plum is uncertain. It has been 

 known to fruit-growers since about 1889. 



Tree spreading, low-topped, open, hardy, productive. 

 Leaves falling off early, broadly lanceolate, peach-like, 

 1 %, inches wide, 4 % inches long ; apex taper-pointed ; 

 base abrupt ; margin with serrations in 2 series, with 

 very small, black glands ; petiole ^ inch long, tinged 

 with dull red, hairy, with 1-4 globose, large, dark 

 brownish-yellow glands. Flowers 1 inch across, yellow- 

 ish as the buds begin to open, changing to white, with 

 a disagreeable odor. Fruit late ; below medium in size, 

 ovate, halves equal ; cavity shallow, wide, rounded, 

 flaring ; suture a line ; slightly pointed ; color dark 

 carmine, with thin bloom ; dots numerous, small, clus- 

 tered about the apex ; stem slender, glabrous, parting 

 readily ; skin thick, tough, astringent, semi-adherent, 

 removing a thin layer of the pulp when detached ; flesh 

 deep yellow, juicy, coarse, fibrous, sweet at first but 

 astringent near the pit ; fair in quality ; stone of 

 medium size, oval, turgid, bluntly pointed at the base 

 and apex, with slightly roughened surfaces. 



MARIANNA. Fig. 201. P. cerasiferi X ? 

 Marianna has little or no value for its fruit, but 

 is used as a stock upon which other plums are 

 propagated. All are now agreed that this 

 variety is from a 

 cross-fertilized seed of 

 P. cerasifera, the other 

 parent possibly being 

 one of the Munsoni- 

 ana plums. A charac- 

 ter peculiar to this 

 variety is that it 

 grows readily from 

 cuttings; for this 

 reason it is a cheap 

 stock for plums of all 

 kinds, and is used for 

 peaches and apricots. 

 Besides rooting read- 

 ily, the plant does not 

 sprout, and may be 

 budded as late as the 

 peach or later. Mari- 

 anna is chiefly used in 

 propagation in the South, and is not now em- 

 ployed by nurserymen anywhere so commonly 

 as formerly. The tree is a handsome orna- 

 mental at any season of the year, and its 

 broad, spreading top makes it a good shade 

 tree. Marianna appeared about 1880 as a seed- 

 ling in a mixed orchard belonging to Charles 

 G. Fitze, Marianna, Texas. 



201. Marianna. (XD 



Tree large, vigorous, broad, spreading, open and flat- 

 topped, hardy, free from insects or diseases. Leaves 

 elongated-oval, 1 inch wide, 2% inches long, thin; apex 

 and base acute ; margin very finely serrate, with small, 

 black or amber glands ; petiole slender, % inch long, 

 tinged red, glandless or with 1-3 small, globose, greenish- 

 brown glands. Flowers % inch across, white. Fruit 

 early ; 1 inch in diameter, round-oval, halves equal ; 

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

 apex roundish ; color bright, light red, with thin bloom ; 

 dots numerous, small, light russet, conspicuous ; stem 

 slender, ^ inch long, glabrous ; skin tough, bitter, 

 inclined to crack, parts readily ; flesh yellow, tinged 

 red, juicy, fibrous, watery and melting, sprightly ; poor 

 in quality; stone clinging, elongated-oval, blunt-pointed, 

 surfaces pitted. 



MAYNARD. P. salicina. The habit of the 

 tree of Maynard is commendable, and the 

 fruits are very acceptable to those who care 

 for Japanese plums. The season follows that 

 of Climax, a period when there is a dearth of 

 plums of its type. The variety was first fruited 

 in 1897 by Burbank, and was then sold to the 

 Oregon Nursery Company, Salem, Oregon. It 

 was introduced in 1903. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright, open-topped, productive. 

 Leaves obovate, 1 % inches wide, 3 % inches long, thin ; 

 margin finely serrate, with small, dark glands ; petiole 

 slender, glandless or with 1 or 2 small glands. Fruit 

 early ; 1 * inches in diameter, round-truncate, dark red, 

 changing to purplish-black, with thick bloom ; flesh 

 red, with a tinge of yellow near the pit, fibrous, tender, 

 melting, sweet, aromatic ; good to very good ; stone 

 semi-clinging, broadly oval, turgid, blunt at the base 

 and apex, with pitted surfaces. 



MIDDLEBURG. P. domestica. The fruits 

 of Middleburg may be surpassed by other 

 plums in appearance, but few others are better 

 in quality, whether for dessert or for cooking. 

 They ripen late, hang well to the tree, and 

 ship and keep well, in the latter respect 

 equalling the best of the prunes. The trees, 

 while of only medium size, are robust, healthy, 

 hardy, and usually productive. Belying the 

 looks of either fruit or tree, Middleburg im- 

 proves upon acquaintance; when well known, 

 it will be wanted in home collections, and some 

 commercial fruit-growers will find it profitable. 

 Middleburg originated in Schoharie County, 

 New York, where it was found as a chance 

 seedling. 



Tree medium in size, vigorous, round and open-topped, 

 hardy, productive. Leaves oval, 1% inches wide, 3% 

 inches long, thick, stiff ; apex and base acute ; margin 

 doubly serrate, with a few small, dark glands ; petiole 

 % inch long, pubescent, tinged red, glandless or with 

 1-3 small, globose, greenish-brown glands. Flowers _1 

 inch across, white. Fruit very late ; 1% inches in 

 diameter ; oval, compressed, halves equal ; cavity very 

 shallow, narrow, flattened ; suture lacking ; apex round- 

 ish ; color light to deep purplish-red, with thick bloom ; 

 dots numerous, small, russet ; stem 1 inch long, thinly 

 pubescent ; skin thin, sour, separating readily ; flesh 

 light yellow, juicy, coarse, firm, sprightly, strongly 

 aromatic ; very good ; stone semi-free or free, oval with 

 pitted surfaces, slightly acute at the base and apex. 



MILTON. P. Munsoniana X ? The spe- 

 cial merits of Milton are that the trees bloom 

 late and the fruit ripens early. The fruits are 

 large, of very good quality, though a little too 

 juicy for pleasant eating or to ship well, very 

 attractive in appearance, and, more important 

 than all else for the regions in which it is 

 likely to be grown, comparatively free from 

 rot. Unfortunately, the flesh clings most 



