10 Luther Burbank's Late Introductions 



THE PLUMCOT 



As its name clearly indicates, this new candidate for horticultural honors, is a 

 cross between the plum and apricot, a feat deemed impossible of accomplish- 

 ment a few years ago. That its perfection was a matter of patient labor, close 

 study and keen observation goes without saying, but with a continuity and 

 singleness of purpose Burbank has been successful in overcoming all obstacles 

 thereby creating a fruit which happily partakes of the qualities of both parent 

 stocks. In this endeavor many have been produced and amalgamated, resulting 

 finally in what has been called "The Rutland Plumcot" in honor of an Austra- 

 lian admirer. Mr. Burbank does not by any means consider it a perfect fruit, 

 but it does possess some strong points of special interest to fruit growers. For 

 instance, though not a heavy bearer, it produces fine large fruits in liberal 

 quantities every year where apricots fail, thus to a great extent increasing the 

 area for that fruit. 



Distribution, Soils and Climate. By reason of its parentage, the Rutland 

 Plumcot will not only flourish in all portions of California, but it is the conviction 

 of those who know it best, that it will do well in the sheltered portions of Arizona, 

 Southwestern Texas, along the Gulf of Mexico, the extreme southern States and 

 as far north as Washington and Maryland. All the stone fruits, excepting the 

 apricot, will withstand considerable cold, and the Plumcot possessing some of 

 the elements of the plum, its culture is feasible where the apricot would be con- 

 sidered hazardous. It finds congenial conditions in a well drained loamy sandy 

 soil, and is keenly responsive to intensive culture. 



Blooming and Fruiting. Though recognized as an unusually early bloomer, 

 it nevertheless possesses characteristics insuring regular crops. The flowers ap- 

 pear continuously over a considerable period of time, thus enabling it to escape 

 late spring frosts, where the apricot, under identical conditions, bringing forth 

 its blooms all at one time, suffers a total loss of its crop. This of itself is an im- 

 portant feature in its favor, especially in localities subject to spring frosts. 



Character and Value of its Fruit. Obviously the amalgamation of the apricot 

 and the plum must produce a fruit unique in character, hence its economic value, 

 is a matter still largely to be determined by its development and the exploitation 

 of its uses. One of the striking features of the Rutland Plumcot is its brilliant red 

 flesh possessed of a strong sub-acid flavor rendering it a favorite for cooking, 

 jellies and jams. When fully ripe, it is a fair dessert fruit, possessing a pleas- 

 ant apricot-plum flavor. Fruit about the size of an ordinary apricot with a deep 

 purple velvety skin. 



Habit of Growth. The tree is in every sense an object of beauty, growing 

 much like a weeping willow with long pendulous branches which bend gracefully 

 over. Foliage small, somewhat thin, resembling rather more that of the plum 

 than that of the apricot. 



The demand for this fruit has been so urgent that Mr. Burbank has consented 

 to send it out in the face of the fact that he does not think he has developed it 

 to its highest possibilities. Its many fine qualities coupled with its possibilities 

 merit at least trial culture by the advanced horticulturists of the country. 



