448 Report of the Department of Horticulture of the 



of them in each of two orchards near Geneva and in both the fruit 

 qualities are the same as on the two trees at the Station. Wherever 

 we have seen this variety the tree characters are exceptionally 

 good; the plums are borne on main limbs and are thus protected 

 from the sun ; and the trees are large, vigorous and hardy. A striking 

 character of the variety is its strong, upright growth. In watching 

 the behavior of the Imperial Epineuse for several years, we have 

 become convinced that it is a desirable market plum for New York. 

 Imperial Epineuse was found as a chance seedling about 1870 in 

 an abandoned monastery near Clairac in the Valley of Lot, the great 

 prune district of France. It was brought to the United States 

 by Felix Gillett of Nevada City, California, in 1883, who offered 

 it for sale under the name " Clairac Mammoth " in 1893. In 1895 

 E. Smith & Son of Geneva, N. Y., received the variety from Mr. 

 Gillett but grew it under the name of " Clarice Mammoth." The 

 trees on the Station grounds were obtained from E. Smith & Sons, 

 Geneva, N. Y., in the spring of 1897. 



Tree large, vigorous, spreading, productive; branches numerous, with many fruit- 

 spurs; leaves obovate, thick, rugose; blooming season intermediate in time and length; 

 flowers appearing after the leaves, one inch across, borne singly or in threes. Fruit 

 late, season short to medium; large, slightly obovate, purplish-red, darker on the 

 sunny side, mottled, overspread with thick bloom; flesh greenish-yellow, tender, 

 sweet, very agreeable in flavor; good to very good; stone clinging. 



Middleburg is so remarkable in several qualities that the wonder 

 is that it has so long escaped the attention of plum-growers. The 

 name is not mentioned in any pomological textbook though the plum 

 has probably been in existence three-quarters of a century. Accounts 

 of it in horticultural and station reports are scant and fragmentary 

 and none do it justice, though in " The Plums of New York," pub- 

 lished by this Station, an effort was made to bring it prominently 

 before fruit-growers. 



Middleburg is surpassed in appearance by a number of plums, 

 but few of its color and season are better in quality either for dessert 

 or for cooking. It ripens as one of the last with several other good 

 sorts, none of which surpasses it in several respects; as, in hanging 

 to the tree, in long keeping, and in freedom from black-knot and 

 brown rot. Out of a collection of about three hundred sorts on 

 the Station grounds, Middleburg and Palatine are freest from black- 

 knot and Middleburg is probably freer than any other Domestica 

 plum from brown rot. The trees are of only medium size but are 

 robust, healthy, hardy and productive. With special care they 

 might be made to grow larger plums. It is certain that Middleburg 

 ought to be in every collection for home orchards and it is probable 

 that it can be grown profitably for the markets. Both tree and 

 fruit are at first a little disappointing but both improve upon ac- 

 quaintance. Nurserymen do not generally offer this variety for 

 sale. But once plum-growers know its value a profitable demand 

 is sure to spring up for it. 



