NATIVE AMERICAN SPECIES OF PRUNUS. 11 
the native plums and contributed in a marked degree to their intro- 
duction and development. At this time, however, the native species 
were poorly understood, some of them were undescribed, and informa- 
tion concerning their hardiness and adaptability to certain regions 
could be had only by growing them. Although the need of some 
scientific basis for the classification of varieties was recognized, it 
was not until 1892 that anything of the kind was seriously attempted, 
and perhaps no other single event so stimulated and influenced the 
culture of the varieties of the native species as the publication by 
L. H. Bailey (2) of ‘‘The Cultivated Native Plums and Cherries,’’ which 
was the first real scientific work on these fruits to appear in many 
years. Horticulturists in other agricultural experiment stations, 
following the passage of the Hatch Act, also became active in testing 
and to some extent in breeding varieties, so that in the years from 
1888 to 1900 there appeared more than 70 bulletins devoted wholly 
or in part to this subject. 
Having followed the development and utilization of the native 
species throughout the greater part of the last century, as shown 
in the general works on the culture of fruit in America, it is of interest 
to turn to the development of horticultural varieties from these 
species. The history of this development is to be found mainly in 
the proceedings of horticultural societies, in horticultural and agri- 
cultural journals and papers, and sometimes even in nursery cata- 
logues. Many able and enthusiastic horticulturists have been con- 
cerned in this development, and among those who took a prominent 
part in this important work in Minnesota were O. M. Lord, J.S. Harris, 
H. Knudson, Peter Gideon, Martin Penning, Charles Luedlofi, and 
C. W. H. Heideman. In Jowa, H. A. Terry began to grow the native 
plums more than 40 years ago, and he has originated more varieties 
than any other individual. Edson Gaylord and, more recently, 
N. K. Fluke have been prominent in the introduction of varieties, 
while C. G. Patten has originated a few and tested many more. 
_ Theodore Williams was for many years active in Nebraska, and N. E. 
Hansen is at the present time doing an important work in South 
Dakota. 
While this work in amelioration was going on in the West, J. W. 
Kerr, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, had been making a specialty 
of native plums since 1872, and had found among them the most 
profitable varieties he could grow.’ Farther south, J. S. Breece, of 
North Carolina, within the last few years has introduced a number 
of varieties, these bemg mainly hybrids with the Japanese plums. 
Horticulturists in Texas also early began to turn their attention to 
the native species, and Gilbert Onderdonk, T. V. Munson, and 
A. M. Ramsey have each introduced a number of-varieties, while 
