Cultivar 462: State Fair No 36

State Fair No. 36 is an Americana plum selection raised and tested at the South Dakota Experiment Station from pits taken from prize plates of leading Americana varieties shown at the Iowa State Fair in 1895.[S1] It was not introduced here as a named cross with known parentage. It belongs to the station's numbered State Fair seedling group, a set of hardy plum selections grown for orchard trial in South Dakota.[S1]

The fruit was described as large, about the size of Hawkeye, and it ripened on September 12 in both 1903 and 1904.[S1] Station reports emphasize crop load as much as fruit size. In 1903 it carried a heavy crop. In 1904 the fruit was said to be somewhat smaller than the year before because the crop was immense.[S1]

State Fair No. 36 was valued as a productive orchard plum rather than an especially early one.[S1] Charles Haralson ranked it as his first choice for heavy bearing and large fruit, though he noted that it was later than some others.[S1] The same section recommends it for general propagation, and the broader page context says the selected State Fair seedlings were worth further trial because the fruit kept well after picking.[S1]

The tree itself appears to have been notably resilient under load. One report says it was bending to the ground on all sides without breaking limbs, and a separate plate shows the original tree in bearing with its 1904 crop.[S1] Another plate includes the fruit among photographed State Fair seedlings in 1902, showing that it had already advanced far enough to be documented visually before the 1904 recommendation.[S1]

Hardiness is implied by its South Dakota trial setting and by its inclusion in an Americana plum section assembled for northern conditions, but this source does not give a direct zone rating.[S1] The bulletin presents State Fair No. 36 as a promising early twentieth century prairie plum selection remembered for large fruit, immense crops, and enough practical value to merit propagation and wider testing.[S1]

Summary source basis

• S1: Plums in South Dakota

This summary currently draws chiefly from Plums in South Dakota.

Featured source descriptions

“Fruit ripe September 12, 1903.”
— ^[1]

“Ripe September 12, 1904.”
— ^[1]

“The crop is immense.”
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“Aheavy crop.”
— ^[1]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• State Fair No. 36.-Fruit ripe September 12, 1903. Aheavy crop; fruit large, about same size as Hawkeye. Ripe September 12, 1904. Mr. Haralson's first choice for heavy bearing and large fruit, but not as early as some.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 36.-Fruit ripe September 12, 1903. Aheavy crop; fruit large, about same size as Hawkeye. Ripe September 12, 1904. Mr. Haralson's first choice for heavy bearing and large fruit, but not as early as some.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 36.-Fruit ripe September 12, 1903. Aheavy crop; fruit large, about same size as Hawkeye. Ripe September 12, 1904. Mr. Haralson's first choice for heavy bearing and large fruit, but not as early as some.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 36.-Fruit ripe September 12, 1903. Aheavy crop; fruit large, about same size as Hawkeye. Ripe September 12, 1904. Mr. Haralson's first choice for heavy bearing and large fruit, but not as early as some.Plums in South Dakota, p39

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context