LUTHER BURBANK 



The story of these ennobled Beach plums is 

 so interesting and suggestive that it is worth tell- 

 ing somewhat in detail. 



THE ENNOBLEMENT OF THE BEACH PLUM 



Perhaps the most astonishing result produced 

 by hybridizing the little Beach plum is the fruit 

 to which I have given the provisional name Giant 

 Maritima. 



This is a second-generation hybrid from an 

 improved hardy Beach plum pollenized with one 

 of the hybrid Japan plums. 



In 1895, the first year this seedling bore, the 

 fruit was one hundred times larger than its seed 

 parent, the Maritima. In 1896, the fruit was even 

 larger than in the previous year, and in 1899, as 

 the tree gained in age and strength, the size was 

 still further increased. 



In that year some of the fruits were measured 

 and found to be eight and a quarter inches in 

 circumference. 



The Beach plum from which this remarkable 

 hybrid was developed is a native of the Atlantic 

 coast of North America, growing on the sands 

 and among rocks near the seashore from Labra- 

 dor to North Carolina. It is known botanically 

 as Prunus maritima. 



It is one of the hardiest of all known wild 

 plums, and habitually productive. It is a low, 



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