MAKING NEW KINDS OF PLANTS 



411 



of this point; it is a cross between the French Prune 

 (shown in Fig. 236) and the Pond Plum (a European 

 Plum about .one and three-quarter inches in length), 



231. Increased size in Plums due to hybridization (without selection). Japanese 

 parent on the left, American on the right, hybrid in the center. Two-thirds 

 natural size. 



and was brought to its present huge size by con- 

 tinued selection: it therefore owes its size to crossing 

 plus selection. Another offspring of the French 

 Prune, called the Sugar Prune (Fig. 232), is not 

 only much larger but ripens a month earlier and 

 is even sweeter than the parent, running as high as 

 about 24 per cent sugar, or practically one- fourth 

 of the total weight of the fresh fruit. This was 

 obtained simply by selection, no crossing having 

 been done. These three 

 instances illustrate very 

 well the different ways of 

 securing increased size. 



-P. , . 232. Increased size in Plums due entirely to 



O. BV prOdUCing Vai'ie- selection (without crossing). French Prune 



, T , ,-, (dried) on the left; Sugar Prune (dried) on 



WhlCn ripen a month, the right. Two-thirds natural size. 



