PLUMS— A COMPARISON OF VARIETIES. 



C/\ (S^HE following list of plums con- 

 tains some of the most desir- 

 able for the State. Those 

 varieties which are denomi- 

 nated as American are natives of this 

 country, and, as a rule, are hardier than 

 either European or Japanese varieties. 

 The American sorts are subdivided into 

 several classes, but no classification is 

 attempted here. Because of reliability 

 most of them may be safely planted, but 

 they are less salable than the European 

 varieties, hence as an orchard venture, 

 the planting of American sorts could be 

 easily overdone. 



Successful orchard culture of plums 

 must, in the future, depend very largely 

 upon the selection of the best varieties 

 for market. As a rule these must be 

 those bearing the largest and most 

 showy fruit, and must be so selected as 

 to cover as long a period of ripening as 

 possible. All of those named, and 

 many more, have been grown at the 

 Ohio Experiment Station, but the con- 

 clusions drawn are not merely from the 

 Station tests but from observations else- 

 where as well. 



German Prune — A reliable variety, especi- 

 ally valuable for market. Fruit medium to 

 large ; dark purple ; of good quality, season 

 medium to late. Rather a weak grower and 

 succeeds better if top worked on some free 

 growing sort. 



Pond's Seedling — Fruit large to very large, 

 of medium quality ; bright red ; tree vigor- 

 ous and prolific, but fruit inclined to rot. 

 Not regarded as a very profitable market 

 sort, and not high enough in quality for 

 dessert. Season late. 



Grand Duke, — A very fine, large, late varie- 

 ty ; dark blue in color and very attractive in 

 appearance. A slow grower and ought to be 

 grafted on some other vigorous hardy variety. 



Lombard — An old standby. Reliable and 

 valuable, although considerably inclined to 

 rot Medium size ; coppery red ; fair qual- 

 ity. Inclined to overbear and needs close 

 pruning. 



Bradshaw — Tree a fine grower and prolific, 

 but rather long in coming into bearing. Fruit 



large, purple and of good quality. The 

 earliest of the large sorts and one of the best 

 for all purposes. 



Wolf— One of the best of American varie- 

 ties, but inclined to overbear. The trees 

 begin bearing early and need close pruning to 

 thin the fruit. 



Spaulding — A yellowish green plum of 

 excellent quality. Choice for home use but 

 may not be sufficiently prolific for market. 

 The claim of the introducer that it is curculio 

 proof is unfounded. 



Yellow Egg A fine large yellow plum, 

 suitable for canning, but not of first rate 

 quality. Season medium to late. Inclined 

 to rot on the tree. 



Coe's Golden Drop — A large, late ripening, 

 yellow variety. Tree a slow grower and 

 should be top worked on some free growing 

 sort. 



Tatge— Said to be very htrdy but can 

 hardly be distinguished from the Lombard. 



Weaver— One of the best of the midseason 

 American sorts. Rather dull in color but 

 excellent for culinary purposes. 



American Eagle — One of the best of the 

 American sorts because of large size and 

 good quality. 



Imperial Gage —A greenish yellow plum of 

 the best quality. Especially desirable for the 

 home garden. 



Richland — A reliable midsummer variety, 

 but to> small for market purposes. 



Missouri Green Gage — A greenish yellow 

 plum, similar to Green Gage, but a little 

 larger. Of the very choicest quality. Season 

 medium to late. 



Reine Claude de Bavay — Greenish yellow ; 

 late in ripening, of the best quality and very 

 prolific. One of the best either for home use 

 or market. 



Arch Duke — A large dark purple, late 

 ripening sort and very promising, but not 

 fully tested. 



Reed — A wonderfully prolific American 

 variety. Fruit of medium size, bright scarlet ; 

 very beautiful and with very much of the 

 Damson flavor when cooked. Very orna- 

 mental in foliage, flower and fruit 



Golden Beauty — A very pretty yellow 

 fruited American sort. Suitable for canning. 



Prairie Flower — A medium to large Ameri- 

 can sort of good quality with but little 

 astringency. Does not drop as badly as some 

 varieties of this class and appears to be very 

 promising. 



Hawkeye— One of the largest and best of 

 the American varieties, but with rather too 

 much astringency next to skin and stone. 



Forest Rose Improved — A little later and 

 larger than Forest Rose and more attractive 

 in color as well. 



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