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Perfumed Plims 
In originating the first hybrids of our native plum ( Prunus Americana) with 
the Chinese apricot-plum/Prunus Sirnoni, there vrere 16 seedlings. Of these, Kaga, 
Hanska, Toka, and Inkpa were named and distributed, Tokr.ta, the reciprocal hybrid, 
was also sent out and by many is regarded as the finest of all in its superb flavor. 
Kaga, Toka, and Hanska are now widely grown in many states for the excellent flavor. 
Also, an excellent polJ.enizer for other plums. 
There is another of these 16 original seedlings worthy of introduction 
because of its larger size, and it is now named the Kota. The tree is very product¬ 
ive. It make a splendid record in the State Orchard nt Sioux Falls in 1938 and 1959. 
The Kota plum was introduced 1939. A sister to Kaga, Toka, and Hanska, 
but the fruit averages larger. Fruit 1 5/4 inches across, 1^ inches deep, a vivid 
dark red with large distinct yellov; dots and white bloom; oblate, with slightly 
sunken apex; sutiire very wide and shallow; cavity deep, regular, acute; stem stout. 
Flesh very firm, richly fragrant and delicious. In general, the multitude of Inirge 
yellow dots is a distinguishing characteristic. Price of the 58 Kota one-year trees 
grafted on native plum, each $1.00. 
Oacoma - A Delicious New Native Plum 
First introduced spring 1938. A ten-year test in the State Orchard <at 
Watertown, on a hill, without protection, demonstrated very clearly that native South 
Dakota plums were much hardier tiian native plums from further South. Fruit rod, 
round, 1 3/8 inches across, of very best quality eaten fresh or as preserves. Skin 
thin, dissolves in cooking. The pit is rather small, round, flattened with smooth 
rounded edges and no sharp points. The high quality of this pure native South Dakota 
plum should quickly make it a general favorite. The tree is perfectlLy iiardy and a 
heavy bearer. The original tree of Oacoma v-ras found a few miles west of Oacoma in 
Lyman County and was first sent out as South Dakota No. 12 in 1934, This is now 
named Oacoma. No matter how many hybrid plums cire introduced, some of the northern 
pure native plums should be in every orchard to provide abund.unt pollination. Many 
people like the stronger flavor of the native plum, especially for preserves and jam. 
One year grafts on native plum, made in the field, 49 trees, each $1.00. 
Ural Mountain Cherry 
First introduced in 1938. In the Ural Mountain region of West Siberia, a 
dwarf red cherry in being collected in a large way under government auspices. 
Selection is under way at the Experiment Station at Cheliabinsk as noted in the 1934 
tour to Siberia; one was brought in nearly as large as the Early Pdchmond Cherry. 
As fruited at Brookings in 1958 and 1939 the fruit is a red sour cherry of good 
quality, but smaller than the standard sour cherries. This is a cherry for the far 
North where standard sour cherries are not hardy. The plant sprouts freely. The 
botanical name is Prunu s fruticosa , Pall. In 1939 the fruit of the Ural Mountain 
Cherry was a bright red with clear acid flesh much like a small E^irly Richmond. The 
price of root sprouts, each $1.00. 
The Hansen Bushcherry ; Two new seedlings ; nearly one inch across 
The work in improving the South Dakota native sandcherry, Prunus Besseyi , 
began in 1895 and now is \*7ell along in the second million seedlings covering 14 
generations. This selected strain is now called the Hansen Bushcherry. In 1938 
and 1939 about one thousand plants out of 35 acres of seedlings were marked for 
further propagation. 
In selection the weight of 100 ripe cherries is determined, then the fruit 
is pitted and the ratio is determined betv/een the \veight of 100 pits and 100 ripe 
fruits. The size of the pits is decreasing each generation, in some the size is less 
thaii one-fcurth of the original size. The usual color of the fruit is black but 
many good yellow-fruited seedlings have appeared. In 1938 the first breaks into red 
fruit were noted. All these are now in propagation. 
These selected plants are budded on native plum. It is the plan to breed 
these true to seed as rapidly as possible. 
Checkpa and Kasota, two of the 1939 seedlings, were outstanding; the size of 
the fruit was nearly one inch across. The exact size was 15/16 inch, but when budded 
and given and given more room, the size very likely will be fully one inch. They 
are both pure Prunus Besseyi , of excellent quality and very productive. The cooked 
sauce v/as considered equal to California cherries by good judges, although they are 
not the same. 
Many one-inch sandcherries have appeared before, but not introduced as 
they were evidently chance hybrids not up to Sapa or Opata. 
Every farm in the state should contain at least a hundred of these Hansen 
Bushcherry plants to serve as a good source of fruit. Home-makers living near the 
State Orchard at Watertown save the flesh, using hand chorry-pittors, end can annual¬ 
ly from 1,000 to 1,500 quarts. This shows these cherries are good for sauce and 
preserves. 
The question is asked: "What may be expected of a good bushcherry budded on 
native pl-um?" The crop at Watertown the past season was 12^ pounds of fruit on some 
plants, and they were rather crovvded in the rows at that. Plants of Hansen Bush¬ 
cherry: one-year seedlings of the latest selection, 3 for $1,00 
