98 NOTES OX THE AGRICULTURE, 



hybrids between Prunus communis and Prunus armeniaca or 

 Primus manchurica (the apricot tree). 



Plum trees are not found wild in North Manchuria. 

 Should these trees be seen on the border of roads and foot 

 paths in the Ashiho and Maoershan district (the Eastern 

 part of the Chinese Eastern Railway) they are not actually 

 wild but are there by accident. 



The majority of the plum trees of North Manchuria have 

 •small and very rarely large leaves, cuneate at the base, 

 ovate with long lanceolate ends, bi-serrate in the margins 

 and narrow stipules. See Flora of Manchuria, 1901-1907. 

 St. Petersburg. (See PI. I, Fig. 1). The blossoms are white 

 in colour and appear before the leaves, they bloom at the end 

 of April. They grow in clusters of 1-2-4-5 and sometimes 

 20-30 together. The young stocks are of a reddish brown 

 colour. The fruits are distributed on the short stems and 

 on each 2-3 or 4 plums may be found. The fruits are almost 

 spherical and yellow in colour, red or greenish-red and are of 

 different sizes. The stones are convex, and cut up by 

 longitudinal channels on one side. 



The following varieties of plums were seen in the 

 northern and southern part of Kirin province within the 

 radius of Harbin, Ashiho, Maoershan, Shuanchen-pu, Kirin 

 and Yaomen. 



1. — The small yellow plum flattened on the upper and 

 lower ends, sometimes called the small wild yellow plum of 

 North Manchuria (see PI. I, Figs. 2, 3 and 6). 



This variety grows in several forms. Some trees bear 

 fruits of 1.7 cm. in length and 2 cm. in breadth, with the 

 stem of 1 cm. in length and with stones 1.1 cm. in length 

 and breadth. More often to be met with are the trees with 

 larger fruit of 2 cm. in length, 2.2-2.7 cm. in breadth w T ith 

 the stem of 1.2-1.3 cm. in length and the stones of 1.1-1.3 

 cm. in length and 1-1.5 cm. in breadth. When ripe these 

 small fruits are juicy and sweet in taste. These small flat 

 yellow plums grow at Harbin, Ashiho and in many other 

 parts of North Manchuria. 



2. — The small yellow round plum (See PI. I, Fig. 4.). 

 A variety of plum with round fruits of various sizes. On 

 some trees the fruits were of 2 cm. in length and in breadth, 

 on others 2.2-2.5 cm. in length, 2.4-2.7 cm. in breadth, with 

 stones of 1.3-1.5 cm. in length and of 1.1-1.2 cm. in breadth. 

 The fruits are juicy and sweet. It grows in all the district 

 of Manchuria and it ripens earlier than the other varieties. 



3. — The round yellow plum with a pointed end (see 

 PL I, Fig. 5.). The fruits of this variety are 2.3-2.7 cm. 



