Cultivar 464: State Fair No 38

State Fair No. 38 is an Americana group plum selection recorded in the South Dakota plum bulletin as one of the numbered State Fair seedlings raised and tested at the South Dakota Experiment Station. It was grown from pits taken from prize plates of leading Americana varieties shown at the Iowa State Fair in September 1895, then planted at the station in spring 1896. The bulletin treats it as one of the more promising seedlings in that group and says it should be propagated for further trial. [S1]

The fruit was reported ripe on September 11, 1903, and on September 10, 1904, placing it in the early September season in that South Dakota setting. Sources describe it as large to very large, light red, and of good quality. A photographic plate dated September 9, 1902 also shows No. 38 among the illustrated State Fair seedlings, which helps show it was an observed fruiting plum, not just a list entry. [S1]

State Fair No. 38 was noted as much for production as for fruit size. The bulletin says it made a heavy crop, had already given a good crop in 1902, and was a very heavy bearer. In the same section, Chas. Haralson recommended that Nos. 36, 24, 38, and 34 be propagated and given thorough trial because the fruit kept long after picking, suggesting that No. 38 had practical value beyond immediate orchard display. [S1]

Its hardiness is not stated in zone terms, but the testing context is clear: this was a South Dakota Experiment Station seedling chosen from Americana plum material for northern evaluation. That does not prove a formal hardiness rating, but it does place State Fair No. 38 within an early prairie era search for productive, durable plums suited to Upper Midwest conditions. [S1]

The surviving record is brief, and no direct parentage, breeder name, or later release history is given beyond its State Fair seedling origin. Even so, the entry stands out because the station did not just note it; it singled the selection out as a very heavy bearer with large, good quality fruit worth propagating. [S1]

Summary source basis

• S1: Plums in South Dakota

This summary currently draws chiefly from Plums in South Dakota.

Featured source descriptions

“In 1904 fruit ripe September 10.”
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“Ripe September 11, 1903.”
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“Of good quality.”
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“Agood crop in 1902.”
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Direct parent cultivars

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Parentage claim text

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Derived or downstream cultivar links

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Source-story quotations

• State Fair No. 38.-Ripe September 11, 1903. Crop heavy, fruit large; a good crop in 1902. In 1904 fruit ripe September 10. Size large to very large; light red; of good quality; a very heavy bearer; should be propagated.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 38.-Ripe September 11, 1903. Crop heavy, fruit large; a good crop in 1902. In 1904 fruit ripe September 10. Size large to very large; light red; of good quality; a very heavy bearer; should be propagated.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 38.-Ripe September 11, 1903. Crop heavy, fruit large; a good crop in 1902. In 1904 fruit ripe September 10. Size large to very large; light red; of good quality; a very heavy bearer; should be propagated.Plums in South Dakota, p39
• State Fair No. 38.-Ripe September 11, 1903. Crop heavy, fruit large; a good crop in 1902. In 1904 fruit ripe September 10. Size large to very large; light red; of good quality; a very heavy bearer; should be propagated.Plums in South Dakota, p39

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context