DICOTYLEDONS: ARCHICHLAMYDEA 289 
originated in China or Japan, and the dangers in culti- 
vation are the same as those of the peach. The apricot 
has never developed commercial importance in the eastern 
United States except in a few places, notably in New York. 
In California, however, it is one of the most important com- 
mercial fruits of the State, having been introduced into it 
by the Mission Fathers. 
Plums are of so many kinds that they can hardly be 
spoken of all together. The numerous varieties have been 
derived from at least three species, one European, one 
Japanese, and one native. The most extensively grown 
and commercially important plums are from the European 
stock; and the two great areas of cultivation are California, 
and the Northeastern States north of Pennsylvania and 
west to the Great Lakes. In California the prune industry 
has been extensively developed, a prune being simply a 
plum that has dried sweet (without fermentation) without 
removing the stone (pit). 
Cherries are of several varieties, derived from two Euro- 
pean species. In general they are classified as sour cher- 
ries, which are largely grown in the eastern United States, 
especially western New York, for canning; and sweet cher- 
ries, which are most extensively cultivated on the Pacific 
Coast. There are a number of native species in the United 
States, and among them the black cherry furnishes a timber 
much valued on account of its beauty when polished. 
(3) Pomn-rruits.—The peculiar character of this type 
of fruit has been explained (§ 148) (Fig. 235), and the name 
has been used in that of fruit culture in general, which 
is called pomology. The following forms all belong to the 
genus Prrus. 
Apples have been cultivated from the most ancient 
times; and the thousands of varieties have all come from 
two wild species native to southwestern Asia and adjacent 
Europe, one giving rise to the common apples, the other 
