PLUM VAEIETIES 293 



that European plums might succeed on your 

 land, I suggest that you try a few trees of the 

 Hand variety. They may fail to bear much 

 fruit, but the chances are that you will prize 

 what they do bear. 



Lombard 



The Ben Davis apple, the Elberta peach, the 

 Kiefer pear and the Lombard plum all occupy 

 the same place in their respective groups of 

 fruit. They are all rather cosmopolitan in 

 their soil requirements and are more reliable 

 and productive than others of their sorts. They 

 are also the poorest representatives when qual- 

 ity of the fruit is considered. The Lombard 

 plum has been widely planted chiefly because 

 it will grow and produce a lot of plums almost 

 any old place. It is hardy and vigorous and al- 

 most every year will have a crop of fruit to test 

 the breaking point of its branches. As a fresh 

 fruit the Lombard fails, for it is so poor 

 in quality that the novice would recognize its 

 deficiencies. When cooked with enough sugar 

 and spice to give it character it makes a very 

 good product and it is for such purposes that 

 it is now chiefly used. It is a handsome bluish- 

 purple plum that has long been under cultiva- 

 tion. There are probably many other named 

 varieties that should be classed with it as its 

 seedlings do not vary greatly from the parent 



