850 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XX. No. 520. 



THE WESTERN SAND CHERRY. 



Most eastern readers are well acquainted 

 with the low, much-branched shrub known as 

 the sand cherry (Primus pumila), and bear- 

 ing small fruits which have a thin flesh. Prob- 

 ably few of them are familiar with the western 

 sand cherry (Prunus hesseyi) which grows on 

 the prairies and great plains from Manitoba 

 and Minnesota to Nebraska and Kansas. The 

 latter has a much larger, short-stalked cherry, 

 which has a colored, juicy flesh. The plants of 

 the two species are much alike, but there are 

 constant differences in habit and fruit sufii- 

 cient to warrant their separation. For prac- 

 tical purposes the two are very distinct, the 

 western species, even in the wild state, being 

 valuable for culinary purposes. 



In a recent bulletin (No. 87) of the North 

 Dakota Experiment Station, Professor Han- 

 son makes a discussion of this fruit, giving 

 the results of his experiments extending over 

 fourteen or fifteen years. These may be sum- 

 marized as follows : 



1. It is exceedingly variable in the size and 

 quality of its fruit, but all forms are accept- 

 able for culinary use. 



2. From them 100 varieties have been se- 

 lected, and are now under propagation. Some 

 of these bear fruit from three fourths to seven 

 eighths inches in diameter and of a quality 

 acceptable for eating without cooking. 



3. It hybridizes readily with at least three 

 other species. 



4. Seedlings bear fruit in the third year. 



5. " After fruiting many thousands of seed- 

 lings it appears reasonable to believe that in 

 this species we have a bush cherry that can be 

 raised to advantage upon the most exposed 

 prairies." 



As to the present value of this species, Pro- 

 fessor Hansen says : 



1. " It is a native northwestern prairie fruit 

 worthy of being tamed and transferred to the 

 small fruit garden." 



2. " It is yet in the early stages of develop- 

 ment ; too much must not be expected at first." 



3. " Even unselected seedlings are not to be 

 despised in the drier regions of the northwest, 

 where the small fruits of the eastern states are 

 usually a failure." 



4. " At least one of its hybrids (the ' Com- 

 pass,' ^ Sand Cherry X Miner Plum) is 

 worthy of a place in the home garden, and 

 may be considered the forerunner of a new 

 race of fruits." 



5. '■ Propagators will find the sand cherry 

 worthy of attention as a stock in winter root- 

 grafting of the native plum." 



6. " For orchard houses and amateur planta- 

 tions it can be used to advantage, as a dwarf 

 stock for plums, peaches, apricots and some 

 other stone fruits." 



7. " It is worthy of a place on the list of 

 desirable low ornamental shrubs for the fore- 

 ground in clumps of larger-growing species." 



The professor's experience with the sand 

 cherry has been so favorable that he ventures 

 the following predictions : 



1. " It will be found of great value in the 

 commercial propagation of some of the stone 

 fruits." 



2. " From it will be developed by selection 

 a race of bush fruits with fruits equal to Cali- 

 fornia cherries in size, and of quality accept- 

 able for table u-se." 



3. " From it will be developed a race of 

 hybrid fruits of a new type by hybridizing 

 with choicer fruits : these new creations will 

 be hardy and friiitful on the most exposed 

 prairies." Charles E. Bessey. 



The University of Nebraska. 



COLLEGE-ENTRANCE OPTION IN ZOOLOCrY* 



The following report will be presented to 

 the American Society of Zoologists at the 

 meeting at Philadelphia in December. It is 

 published here in order to call forth criticisms 

 and suggestions from schools and colleges 

 which have not been reached through corre- 

 spondence. Communications relating to the 

 report may be handed to any member of the 

 undersigned committee, or addressed to the 

 chairman at Teachers College, Columbia Uni- 

 versity. 



Believing that zoology should have a place 

 in general liberal education and recognizing 

 that for the great majority of citizens formal 



* Report of a committee appointed by the 

 American Society of Zoologists. 



