DICOTYLEDONS: ARCHICHLAMYDE^E 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) POME-FRUITS. The peculiar character of this type 

 of fruit has been explained ( 143) (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 Pirus. 



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 



