278 THE FLORIST. 



red, and generally dotted with dark purplish red spots of various sizes. 

 Flesh yellow, juicy, sweet, and luscious, slightly adhering to the 

 stone, which is long and pointed. The trees are hardy, and will 

 bear as standards ; but its proper place is an east or west wall. 



Perhaps it may be as well to mention here, that, in the manage- 

 ment of trained trees of this variety, care should be taken to secure a 

 supply of young short shoots, annually removing those in the winter 

 pruning that are becoming unproductive. This insures a crop, and 

 keeps the trees in a good bearing condition, which it is somewhat 

 difficult otherwise to effect, as the spurs are so liable to die off, 

 leaving the branches bare. The finest fruit is also produced from two 

 years' wood. 



13. Heine Claude Violette. 



Synonyms : Purple Gage, Violet Gage, Violet Queen 

 Claude. 



Fruit medium size, round, slightly flattened at the ends ; suture 

 not over deep, but distinct. Stalk an inch long, and inserted in a 

 small even cavity. Skin deep violet, dotted with golden specks, and 

 traces of green at times near the stalk, the whole covered with a thin 

 pale bloom. Flesh yellowish green, 

 very rich, juicy, and saccharine, re- 

 sembling the Green Gage in flavour ; 

 and although perhaps not quite so 

 rich, certainly second to no other 

 Plum. It has, however, an advan- 

 tage over the Gage in other re- 

 spects, i. e. it does not crack when 

 ripe, will hang much longer on the 

 tree, and generally proves a better 

 bearer even as an open standard. 

 The fruit ripens the end of August, 

 and will usually keep good till the 

 middle of October ; but should the 

 autumn be dry, its season may be 

 extended to the end of the month, 

 especially if grown on a north-east 

 wall, to which aspect, as well as 

 west, it is admirably adapted. 



This is undoubtedly the best of all the purple-fruited kinds, and 

 well deserves a place in every garden where four varieties are cul- 

 tivated. 



Frogmore. J. Powell. 



