SUGAR 



TENNANT 



217 



inches in diameter, round-oblate ; suture a distinct red 

 line ; color light to dark red over a yellow ground, 

 mottled, covered with thick bloom ; skin astringent ; 

 flesh dark golden-yellow, very juicy, tender and melting, 

 sweet next the skin but tart near the center, with a 

 characteristic flavor ; good ; stone clinging, broad-oval, 

 strongly flattened, with smooth surfaces. 



SUGAR. Fig. 207. P. domestica. Sugar 

 Prune. The introduction of Sugar was pre- 

 ceded by very flattering accounts. Possibly 

 expectations in the East were too high; for 

 eastern plum-growers have been greatly dis- 

 appointed in this plum as compared with its 



207. Sugar. (XD 



parent, Agen. The fruits of Sugar in the East 

 are not larger than those of Agen, while in 

 California they are said to be twice or three 

 times as large; the flavor is not so pleasant, 

 although in California the fruit of Sugar is said 

 to be of better quality than that of Agen. The 

 trees of the two plums are much alike, though 

 those of Agen are larger and more productive 

 than those of Sugar as grown in New York. 

 The variety was introduced by its originator, 

 Burbank, in 1899. 



Tree of medium size, vigorous, spreading, dense-topped, 

 hardy, productive. Leaves oval, 2^ inches wide, 5 

 inches long ; apex abruptly pointed ; base acute ; mar- 

 gin serrate, with small dark glands ; petiole 1 inch 

 long, covered with thick pubescence, tinged with red, 

 glandless or with 1-3 small, globose, greenish-yellow 

 glands. Fruit midseason ; small, oval, halves equal 

 cavity shallow, narrow, abrupt ; suture shallow, often 

 a line ; apex roundish or pointed ; color dark reddish- 

 purple, changing to purplish-black, covered with thick 

 bloom ; dots numerous, small, light russet ; stem slender, 

 long, pubescent, adhering ; skin thin, tender, separating 

 readily ; flesh golden-yellow, juicy, coarse, fibrous, ten- 

 der, sweet, mild ; good to very good ; stone light colored, 

 with a tinge of red, thin, of medium size, ovate, flat- 

 tened, with rough and pitted surfaces, blunt at the 

 base, acute at the apex. 



SURPRISE. P. hortulana Mineri. Sur- 

 prise is one of the best of the native plums. 

 The fruits are very attractive in appearance, 



and, while not of the rich flavor of the Do- 

 mesticas, they are yet of pleasant flavor; have 

 an abundance of juice; keep well and ship 

 well; and the color is a peculiar red which 

 serves to identify the variety. The trees are 

 productive. Surprise, according to Martin 

 Penning, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, is the best 

 of a thousand or more seedlings grown from 

 pits of De Soto, Weaver, and Miner sown in 

 1882. 



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

 productive. Leaves falling early, ovate, 2 inches wide, 

 4 % inches long, thin ; apex taper-pointed ; base abrupt ; 

 margin often coarsely and doubly serrate, with amber 

 glands which are not persistent ; petiole }f inch 

 long, slender, reddish, glandless or with 1-5 small, 

 globose, yellowish-brown glands. Flowers % inch 

 across, creamy-white, with a disagreeable odor. Fruit 

 midseason; 1% by 1% inches in size, halves equal; 

 cavity shallow, flaring ; suture very shallow, distinct ; 

 apex roundish or depressed ; color dark red, covered with 

 thin bloom ; dots numerous, russet, conspicuous, clus- 

 tered about the apex ; stem % inch long, glabrous, ad- 

 hering to the fruit ; skin thick, tough, clinging ; flesh 

 golden-yellow, juicy, fibrous, tender, sweet, insipid ; 

 quality fair ; stone clinging, oval, flattened, pointed at 

 tile base and apex, with smooth surfaces. 



TATGE. P. domestica. Tatge is so similar 

 to Lombard that most authorities on plums 

 consider them identical certainly they are so 

 nearly alike that a separate description and 

 discussion are not needed. Some plum-growers 

 believe Tatge to be hardier and less subject 

 to brown-rot than Lombard. The variety is 

 grown only in Iowa and neighboring states. 

 It seems to have been brought to notice about 

 1890 by J. W. Kerr of Maryland. 



TENNANT. Fig. 208. P. domestica. In 

 size and beauty of form and coloring, the fruits 

 of Tennant have few superiors among plums. 

 While not sufficiently high in quality to be 

 called a first-rate des- 

 sert fruit, the fruits are 

 more palatable than 

 most other purple 

 plums; they ripen at a 

 good time of the year, 

 several days before the 

 Italian Prune ; and both 

 ship and keep well. 

 The trees are large, vig- 

 orous, healthy, hardy, 

 and productive almost 

 ideal plum-trees. This 

 variety should be very 

 generally tried in com- 

 mercial plantations, and 

 may well be planted in 

 home collections for 



rulinary fruit. On the Pacific coast, the fruits 

 are cured for prunes, their meaty flesh fitting 

 them very well for this purpose. Tennant 

 originated with Rev. John Tennant, Ferndale, 

 Washington, and was introduced in 1893. 



Tree large, vigorous, round-topped, open, hardy, pro- 

 ductive. Leaves obovate, 1% inches wide, 3^ inches 

 long, thick, stiff ; apex abruptly pointed to acute ; 

 base acute ; margin crenate, with small, brown glands ; 

 petiole % inch long, thick, tinged red along one side, 

 hairy, glandless or with 1 or 2 rather large, globose, 

 brownish glands. Flowers 1 inch or more across, white. 



208. Tennant. (X%) 



