Handbook of Teees of the Noethekn States axd ( 'axada. 2'/ 



The Wild Goose Plum attains the height of 

 20 or 30 ft. with broail rounded top of rigid 

 branches and trunk sometimes 10 or 12 in. in 

 diameter. In loealities it is found as a tall 

 shrub forming thickets of considerable extent. 

 It inhabits the low banks and islands of streams 

 subject to annual inundation (for which rea- 

 son it is sometimes called Rifcr I'lum) in 

 company with the Sycamore, Ei\'er Birch, vari- 

 ous Willows, Green Ash, Box-Elder, King-nut 

 Hickory. Red-bud. etc. It is said tliat it takes 

 its common name from tlie fact (hat one of 

 the tir-t noticed trees was grown fnnii a stone 

 taken from tlie crop of a wild goose. 



(iciieral (ircliard varieties are in cultivation, 

 producing fruit of excellent quality. Among 

 them are the JNIiner, Langston, Clinton, etc. (of 

 var. Mineri) and the Wayland. Gulden Beauty, 

 Morenian, etc. (of var. '\Vniiln)if]i ] . 



The wood is heavy, liard, strong, and suitable 

 for use in turnery. 



L<avrs ovate-lanceolate to ovate, wedge-shaped 

 or I'nunded at base, lona" taper-pointed, closely 

 glandular-serrate, pilose at tirst but at maturity 

 glabrous, lustrous dark green above, paler and 

 pilose in the axils of the prominent veins be- 

 neath : petioles with dark glands near the leaf- 

 blade. Flowers when the leaves are aljout half 

 grown, 1 in. or less across, in 2-4-flowered puber- 

 ulous umbels ; calyx with acute or rounded 

 glandular-serrate lobes, pubescent both sides ; 

 petals white, rounded. Fruit subglohose or short- 

 oblong, 1 in. or less in diameter, with thick 

 tough red or yellow^ skin of pleasant flavor and 

 with turgid stone prominently ridged on the ven- 

 tral edge and grooved on the dorsal. 





