3o 



Annals of Horticulture. 



tributed by Mr. Berckmans in 1858. Peen-to {Primus platy- 

 carpa) peach originated with Mr. Berckmans in 1869 from pits 

 sent from Australia, where it was probably introduced 

 from China. Seedlings of these peaches are among the lead- 

 ing fruits of the south. There have been recent introductions 

 of a different race of Chinese peaches, which appear to be 

 adapted to the very northernmost borders of our present 

 peach districts. In 1881 the Iowa Agricultural College im- 

 ported eleven varieties from the "hill country northwest of 

 Pekin. They have larger, thicker leaves than our common 

 sorts, ripen their wood earlier in fall, and have proved thirty 

 per cent, hardier than our old sorts." 



An apricot from northwestern China also gives promise in 

 the north. 



The apricot plum {Prunus Sinioni) was introduced into this 

 country, by way of France, probably less than ten years ago. 

 It is cultivated mostly as a curiosity, yet it possesses several 

 points of excellence as a market fruit. It is hardy even in 

 Iowa. Improved varieties will undoubtedly soon appear. 



Several varieties of Japanese plums {Prunus Hat tan) are 

 now well distributed in this country. The first introduction 

 appears to have been made into California in 1870*, the 

 variety being the one now commonly planted as Kelsey. The 

 Japanese plums are fruits of large size and great beauty, and 

 Mr. Berckmans thinks that "for our southern states they open 

 a new era in plum culture." The varieties are confused, but 

 they are at present probably less than a dozen. 



The Chinese or Sand pear {Pyrus Sinensis) was perhaps the 

 first fruit introduced into the United States from China or 

 Japan. The Sand pear possesses no commercial value, but 

 some of its seedlings are widely grown. The leading ones are 

 the Kieffer and LeConte. It is supposed that most of the 

 American offspring of the China Sand pear are hybrids with 

 our common pear, but these statements need verification. 

 The quality of the Chinese and Japanese pears, and their 

 seedlings, is poor, but the fruit appears to be particularly 

 adapted to large areas of our country. About a dozen varieties 

 are now grown in America. 



*i87i is commonly given as the date of introduction of the Kelsey. Mr. Wickson 

 makes the following record : " Trees brought from Japan by the late Mr. Hough, of Vaca- 

 ville, in 1870, and purchased by the late John Kelsey, of Berkeley, who propagated and 

 fruited them for several years. First wide distribution was made by W. P. Hammon & Co,, 

 in 1884, who named the fruit after Mr. Kelsey." — California Fruits, 346. 



