ON PLUM AND PRUNE PROFITS 



list the Burbank; a record not approached by any 

 other plum. 



A MORE COMPREHENSIVE VALUATION 



But these figures, and any others of like char- 

 acter that might be collated, serve, after all, to 

 give only a vague and general idea of the eco- 

 nomic importance of the new plums. 



Statistics having to do with shipments to the 

 great markets, even were they available for all 

 territories, would tell but a small part of the story. 

 The true benefits accruing from this work cannot 

 be reduced entirely to figures. 



A large proportion of the earnings, for ex- 

 ample, have been protective in the nature of as- 

 suring large and regular yields of superior qual- 

 ity; thus giving significant returns each year in- 

 stead of uncertain yields occasionally. 



Again, even the most elaborate statistics would 

 entirely fail to present the facts at their true 

 value, because the identity of a plum is often lost 

 through the prevalent custom of renaming varie- 

 ties. The Abundance plum, as an instance, has 

 been designated "Botan," "Botankio," "Chase," 

 "Yellow Japan," "Douglas," "Oval," and probably 

 by other names by the growers and sometimes 

 also by the nurserymen and dealers. The Wick- 

 son plum has been sold under the name "Eureka," 

 and similar liberties have been taken to a greater 



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