The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-16

Jus O'Bryan, of ''Bryant's Minstrels." who
planted it in his garden at No. 10 West
Fourteenth street, New York, some time
prior to 1867. The property came into pos
session of Mr.. Wallace P. Willett in 1874,
and the tree was in that year large and
full bearing, carrying several bushels of
fine fruit. 1t was crowded by buildings
and fences, which necessitated frequent
and severe pruning, but it survived until
about 1883 or 1889. Twelve selected speci-
mems of the fruit from the original tree
were exhibited by Mr.. Willett at the Ameri-
can Institute Fair in 1874. These specimens
weighed twelve ounces each and measured
twelve inches each in circumference. On
this exhibit he was awarded the diploma
of the institute for Seeding peeches." The
following year Mr.. Willett furnished a few
scions to c. L. Van Duzen, of Geneva,
N. Y, who first propagated the peach and
who introduced it in 1876 under the name
"Willett's Seeding" which has since been
reduced to Willett, in conformity with the
rules of nomenclature Of the American
Pathological Society.
WILD PLUMS CULTIVATED.
In regions where temperatures lower
than 20 degrees Fahrenheit are frequently
experienced, the varieties of the do
mesticated type of plums, which consti-
tute the main dependence in the milder fruit
regions Of the North. maintain but an un-
certain existence, and are not infrequently
entirely destroyed by freezing. Fruit grow
ers of the upper Mississippi valley in par
ticular have sustained heavy losses in this
way and have been devoting careful atten-
ton to the development by selection or
breeding, or by both methods, in combina-
ton of varieties of the hardy native plum of
thai region. The result has been that a large
number of wildings of greater or less prom
Use have been transplanted to gardens and
ch~ristened and introduced to the public
through the medium of commercial nur-
series. The large majority of these have
proved to be of doubtful value, but among
them and the seedlings grown from them
some very distinct improvements over the
wild type are appearing.
One of the best of these is the variety
originated by Mr.. Theodore Williams, of
Benson, Neb., from seed of Quaker pollin-
ated by Harrison Peach. the former one Of
the earliest i~ntroductions of this species and
one of the best in quality. Unlike the Brit
tlewood, which grew from planted seed, the
StOduaru pluin appears 10 nave peen a
wilding. 1t was first brought to notice by
B.. F. Stoddard, of Jessup. Ia, about 1875,
who found it growing in the garden of Mrs.
Caroline Baker, of that village. Mrs. Baker
states that her husband secured the trees
during the early settlement of the region
at some point farther north, presumably in
the woods. on the Maquoketa river. Her
belief as to the locality of origin is strength
ened by the fact that Mr.. Elmer Reeves, Of
waverly, Ia, informs the writer that he
found a yard in the village of Sumner full
of trees of the same variety which had
been brought from near the Maquoketa
river.
Ii will give me pleasure to give those inter-
ested in fruit growing more detailed infor-
nation in regard TO any of the fruits of
which 1 have written.
WILLIAM A. TAYLOR.