THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 213 



Fruit mid-season, ripening period short; about one and one-half inches in diameter, 

 roundish or roundish-oval; cavity very shallow, small, often lipped; color golden-yellow, 

 blushed and mottled with red on the exposed cheek, covered with thin bloom; flesh 

 light golden-yellow, firm but tender, sweet, pleasant flavor; very good to best; stone 

 dark colored, free, seven-eighths inch by five-eighths inch in size, irregular-oval, some- 

 what flattened, abruptly contracted at the base, with surfaces roughened; ventral 

 suture prominent. 



FREESTONE 



Prunus insititia 



i. Am. Gard. 14:148. 1893. 2. Waugh Plum Cult. 129. 1901. 

 Freestone Damson 2. 



Freestone is a Damson separated from other Damsons chiefly in being 

 sweeter and more free of stone. It is so inferior to varieties of its species 

 in several particulars as to have little value for commercial planting. The 

 fruits are smaller and the pits larger in proportion to the amount of flesh 

 than with several better known Damsons and the trees do not bear as 

 large crops as plums of this species should; these faults of fruit and tree 

 condemn the plum. To offset the defects in the tree, freedom from black- 

 knot and immunity to leaf-blight may be mentioned as compensating some- 

 what. Still Freestone is hardly to be mentioned as worth planting in either 

 home or commercial orchard. The origin of this Damson is unknown. 

 Stark Brothers, Louisiana, Missouri, who introduced the variety about 

 1889, describe it as "a selected sort which is very hardy, free from insects, 

 and productive." 



Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, vasiform, hardy, not always 

 productive; branches dark ash-gray, thorny; leaves folded upward, oval, one and 

 one-quarter inches wide, two and one-quarter inches long; upper surface dark green, 

 rugose; lower surface silvery-green, pubescent; margin finely serrate, eglandular or with 

 small, brownish glands; petiole five-eighths inch long, glandless or with one or two small 

 glands; blooming season late and of medium length; flowers appearing after the leaves, 

 seven-eighths inch across, the buds creamy, changing to white when expanded; borne 

 in clusters on lateral buds and spurs, usually in pairs; anthers reddish; filaments five- 

 sixteenths inch long; pistil shorter than the stamens. 



Fruit late, season long; seven-eighths inch in diameter, roundish-oval; cavity 

 very shallow and narrow; flesh yellowish-green, juicy, tender, sweet, mild; fair in 

 quality; stone free, tinged red, five-eighths inch by one-half inch in size, oval, turgid, 

 with roughened surfaces, acute at the base, blunt at the apex; ventral suture broad, 

 blunt; dorsal suture with a broad, shallow groove. 



