Handbook of Tkees of the Noetheen States and Canada. 271 



The American Wild Plum tree attains the 

 height of from 20 to 30 ft. and in regions most 

 favorable to its growth a trunk diameter of 12 

 or 14 in., but is usually a considerably smaller 

 tree and is sometimes found fruiting as a 

 large shrub. It develops a symmetrical broad 

 or rounded top of spreading and upright 

 branches. 



Like the more northern Canada Plum it is 

 one of the delights of early spring, when cov- 

 ered with its profusion of white flowers, and 

 in mid-summer is quite as beautiful an object 

 with its dark green leaves and red and yellow 

 fruit. In quality of fruit it is variable, and 

 pomologists have devoted considerable atten- 

 tion to the propagation and improvement of 

 the better sorts. The De Soto, Louisa, Itaska, 

 Minnetonka, ets., are plums in cultivation of 

 this origin. 



Its wood is heavy, a cu. ft. when absolutely 

 dry weighing 44.96 lbs., close-grained, hard and 

 strong, but of no commercial importance.i 



Leaves ovate to obovate, 21^-4 in. long, nar- 

 rowed and rounded or tapering at base, acuminate 

 at apex, sharply and sometimes doubly-serrate 

 nearly glabrous when they unfold and at maturity 

 rugose, dark green above, paler and with promi- 

 nent reticulate veins beneath ; petioles mostly 

 glandless. Flowers when leaves are about half 

 grown, in 2-4-flowered glabrous umbels ; calyx 

 lobes sometimes entire, pilose inside ; petals 

 white, rounded with claw. Fruit subglobose or 

 slightly elongated with tough acerb skin orange 

 or red often with pale spots ; pit oval, rather 

 smoothish and turgid and slightly ridged on tiie 

 ventral side and obscurely grooved on the dorsal. 



Var. lanata Sudw. is a form ranging from 

 Missouri to Texas with niib-^scent under surfaces 

 of leaves, calyx-lobes, pedicels and branchlets. 



1. A. W., XI, 257. 



