STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 109 



HUBBARD SEEDLING. 



This is reported ;is a seedling of Duchess of Oldeuburg, bearing seven 

 or eight years from seed. The tree is very hardy, standing the Aroostook 

 winters without killing a bud. The tree is a vigorous grower. The spec- 

 imens were a little past maturity and had been roughly handled, so no 

 description is offered. 



THE JAPAN PLUMS. 



Mr. S. D. AVillard, who was present a few j^ears since at one of our 

 winter meetings, recently gave some important information which we 

 condense from the "Proceedings of the Xew Jersey Horticultural 

 Society." 



He received the tirst assignment fi-om San Francisco, which was called 

 the Botan, a name designating a general family of Japan plums. One of 

 this lot was quite different from the rest in its habits of growth, fruit, 

 color, wood, and everj^thing else. This plum was afterwards named the 

 Willard. It is the earliest of the Japan plums that have fruited in this 

 country thus far. You can pick it when it is green and put it in the 

 house, and it will turn a very nice purple. It sells well in the market 

 because it is an early plum. It is smaller than the Burbank or Abundance. 

 The Early June ripens about the same period. The trouble with most 

 all Japan plums is, thej^ set too lai'ge a body of fruit and require thin- 

 ning. The Abundance comes later and the True Sweet Botan, which Mr. 

 Willard pronounces the best of the Japan plums. Saj^s it is more reliable 

 than the Abundance at Geneva, and ripens about the same time or a 

 little later. 



The True Sweet Botan is now generally known as the Breckmans. 

 There is one trouble with the fruiting of these trees, they sometimes bloom 

 so early as to be caught by spring frost. The Burbank blooms later, and 

 for this reason is one of the most reliable and for all purposes up to the 

 present time it seems to be the best. As to productiveness, it is wonder- 

 ful. It originated in this country in Mr. Burbank's experimental grounds, 

 where he has done a great work in originating new varieties of fruits. He 

 deserves to be regarded as a public benefactor. 



3Ir. J. H. Hale at the same meeting said of the Japan plums that thej- 

 will admit of picking when in fair maturity of growth and then not sent 

 to market for about two weeks, and then come out in good salable condi- 

 tion. In other words they may be picked and held for a long time and 

 then be of good quality. The Burbank is the best of these plums so far. 

 The Red June and Red Xagate do not take in the market, as the}- are 

 small and early. 



Prof. Samuel B. Green, Horticulturist of the University of Minnesota 

 Experiment Station, writes the Secretary : "We are experimenting with 

 Japan plums but do not expect as much from them as from our improved 

 native sorts."' 



