1871 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



45 



Kansas Keeper. 



By tuk Associate Bditok. 



Fruit metlium to large; wi-iglit from 7 to 12 ounces; form round, conic, oblique angular and 

 sometimes ribbed and oblate conic, lopsided ; skin, yellowish green, mixed, striped and splashed 

 with light and dark dull red; dots 

 small and scattered, grey and black ; 

 stem, short, rather slender ; cavity, 

 wide, deep, irregular, russeted ; eye 

 large, open ; basin, wide, deep, alirupt, 

 furrowed and rilibed, man}- specimens 

 distinctly yellow to the eye; core, 

 small, compact; carpels small, long; 

 seeds, small, broad, plump, nearly 

 black; flesh, yellow, crisp, juicy, tender, 

 pleasant, sub-acid; quality good; use 

 market ; season, January to June ; 

 tree vigorous, very productive and 

 hardy, considered valuable by all who 

 have tried it. Considerably cultivated 

 in Douglass ('ounty, Kansas. 



Its origin is unknown. Wc re- 

 ceived sijecimens of" Wm. Pardee, 

 Lawrence, also of Dr. Wni. M. Hows- 

 ley and others. We presented a speci- 

 mens to Dr. Warder when here — 1869, 

 and he said he thought it to be the 

 Stark. From what we know of the 

 Stark from the various dcseri])ti()n.s, 



we are inclined to the belief that it is that apple. It is the most variable in shape and form of any apple 

 we have examined, have seen specimens which might pass for the Pennoek, the variety it was supposed 

 to be by some of our eastern pomologists; but it is very distinct when a number are placed side by side. 

 It is of better quality, the dots much smaller and less distinct, the basin deeper and ydloic very often, and 

 not subject to bitter rot. This apple is recommended by our State Horticultural Society and called by 

 the above name. 



For tho Westi^rn Pomologist. 



The miner and Wild Ooosc Plnnis. 



Br Geo. Walteks, Bykon, III. 



Your worthy correspondent's article on the Miner 

 and Wild Goose Plums in the December i.ssue, is 

 justly entitled to mueli credit for historical research 

 and the light it throws ui>on this important subject, 

 and lie is deserving best thanks for generously dis- 

 tributing cions of the Miner, and for general interest 

 manifested in this direction. 



It appears to be perplexing to satisfactorily locate 

 the origin of the Miner plum, which for the present 

 seems a mooted question. We do not wish to ques- 

 tion here, by what right it bears its pres<'nt name. 

 " When the doctors disagree, who shall be the 

 judges?" Mr. Hinkley merits more than a passing 

 notice for the distinguished part he has taken ia 

 this now popular plum, aud our thanks are also due 

 to others who have labored in this praiseworthy 

 direction. 



We presume that the Northern Illinois Horticul- 

 tural Society considered Mr. Charles Downing very 

 good authority on the '■ Miner," and no doubt give 

 some credit to our Wisconsin friend (whose name 

 the plum 71011) bears) for the part aken in its dis- 

 semination, if not for its origin. 



Mr. Downing gives the credit of originating this 

 plum to a Mr. Miner of Lancaster, Pa., and describes 

 the tree and fruit as follows : " Branches of the tree 

 smoothiind dark-red. Fruit medium, oblong, point- 

 ed at apex. Skin dark purplish-red, with a fine 

 bloom. Flesh soft, juicy, vinous; adheres to the 

 stone. Early in October." 



There is evidently a mistake in the Wild Goose 

 plum somewhere. The past season I had the 

 pleasure of .seeing the Miner and Wild Goose plums 

 growing near each other in the nursery row near 

 Roekford, 111. The difference in those sorts is so 

 marked, that it does not require much of an expert 

 in such things to see the difference between them. 

 From the fact that while tho branches of the " Mi- 



