282 FRUIT-GROWING 



and were imported to our western shores from 

 that island. They constitute a valuable addi- 

 tion to our orchards and will be more and 

 more appreciated as time goes on. They are, 

 fortunately, best adapted to those parts of the 

 country where the European varieties fail and 

 in this respect will supply fresh plums to a sec- 

 tion that has not heretofore been able to supply 

 its own wants in this respect. 



The three classes of plums which have been 

 mentioned constitute the source of the majority 

 of the varieties grown to-day, with the excep- 

 tion of those which have been produced by 

 crossing two of the races. Some of these 

 hybrids are extremely promising fruits and 

 show a tendency to combine the good qualities 

 of both parents. On the other hand there 

 have been hundreds of new varieties thus 

 produced that are worthless from almost every 

 standpoint. 



An interesting point in this connection, 

 which serves to save the face of the introducer 

 in many cases, is that plums vary greatly with 

 difference in environment. A plum that is a 

 great success with the originator may be a 

 regular frost when grown by another or- 

 chardist a hundred miles away. The Omaha 

 is an example of this fluctuation. I under- 

 stand that in some sections it is an excellent 

 sort — with us it is not worth planting. The 



