PRINTS BESSEY] 243 



appear to differ a good deal in the amount of astrin- 

 gency, as well as in the size and shape of the cherries 

 which they bear. In manj parts of the state the 

 sand cherry has been transplanted to the garden or 

 orchard. Wherever this has been done the results 

 have been encouraging. The plants become larger, 

 and the cherries are larger and more abundant. They 

 rool freelj from layers, and hence are propagated with 

 the greatesl ease. My studies of this interesting 

 native cherry, supplemented by the testimony of 

 numerous observers in all parts of the state where ii 

 grows, lead me to the conclusion thai we have here 

 :i tVnit which needs only a few years of cultivation 

 and selection to yield us a mosl valuable addition to 

 <mii- small-fruil gardens. Ii has recently attracted the 

 attention of cultivators in the states eastward as a 

 promising stock upon which to grafl or bud some of 



the more tender varieties of tl ultivated cherries of 



tin- Old World." 



The efforts to improve Prunus Besseyi 1>\ means 

 of crossing have been made chiefly in Minnesota. 

 Professor 8. B. Green, of the Minnesota Experiment 

 Station, writes (1894) thai he has "raised probably five 

 thousand seedliuga in the lasl four years, and ha- seen 

 many Beedlings <>n the grounds of the Jewell Nurserj 

 ( ''»-. al Lake City, .Minn. Among these I have seen 

 manj thai produce verj good fruit, bul 1 have doI 

 yet selected the one which I shall propagate. I have 

 attempted quite a number of hybrids between it and 

 Prunus Americana, bul have so far tailed to gel one 

 thai I fell Bure represented both Bpecies. It is a ven 



g I stock for the P. Americana. Ii Buckers ver\ 



Creelj the first season, but when the graft or bud gets 



