218 PLANT-BREEDING 



and the apricots into the hybrid plum families. The cross 

 between the cherry and the plum was readily made, and the 

 hybrids were abundantly fertile. A new element was in- 

 troduced by two evergreen cherries, one of the Pacific coast 

 and one from Mexico. These were easily crossed, both 

 with deciduous cherries and with plums, but the results are 

 still awaiting selection and improvement. 



The hybrids of the plums and apricots are called by 

 Burbank plumcots, and a certain number of these most 

 delicious and beautiful fruits I have seen on his farm at 

 Sebastopol. They have the outer appearance of apricots 

 but combine the rich and varied colors of the prunes with 

 the soft indument of the former. Dark blue and downy 

 apricots are as striking a novelty to the eye as the combina- 

 tion of the flavor of prunes and apricots in one fruit is flat- 

 tering to the taste. Some had a yellow fruit flesh, in others 

 it was red or pink or nearly white. The dark red varieties 

 seemed to me the most, juicy, and were, perhaps, to be the 

 next to be definitely selected. Some plumcots have free 

 stones, but others were cling stones. In many other respects, 

 striking differences were observed, giving an almost com- 

 plete material for his selections. 



It is difficult to tell whether the range of possibilities of 

 the crossings of plums has reached its ultimate limits or 

 whether it will afterward assume still more astonishing 

 aspects. The cross between apricots and the Japanese 

 plum has been attended with difficulty, and has succeeded 

 only by the use of distinct varieties. Peaches should next 

 come up for trial, but their crosses with plums have been 

 devoid of success until now. But perhaps some of the hy- 

 brid strains may be more suitable than others, and new 

 attempts may succeed where older ones have miscarried. 

 In case of success in this new line, the range of possibilities 

 will become almost inexhaustible. 





