470 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



largely of one variety he has selected, which bears very abundantly on young and 

 small trees, to such an extent as to produce crops equal in extent to that seen on 

 trees as large again of the old variety. He has no particular name for it, but is 

 content to have an exceedingly abundant bearer. 



At this point Tears came into view, for a change of crop is seen as each planta- 

 tion is passed by. Louise Bonne of Jersey could be seen bearing great crops, 

 grafted on the Quince stock, the fruit of fine quality : there was more than an 

 acre of this variety, and it is considered to be one of the best and most profitable 

 Pears grown. Between lines of pyramid Apples could be seen Potatoes, and be- 

 tween the rows of Potatoes Savoys, for a winter crop. 



Of Poupart's Plum a great quantity is grown ; it is a medium-sized reddish - 

 purple variety of excellent quality, and an abundant bearer, can be used for 

 dessert or cooking purposes, and valuable because late. Rivers's Early Prolific is 

 the earliest Plum grown : it is a round purple variety, like an Orleans, and the 

 first of the group that finds its way into the market. Another was Prince of 

 Wales, a round, reddish-purple, medium-sized Plum, a great bearer and a good 

 kitchen sort, of the Orleans type also : a great quantity of this is grown, as it is 

 a certain cropper year by year. 



In odd corners away under the shade of trees, where nothing else would grow, 

 patches of Rhubarb could be seen, and in such places it does remarkably well. 

 Now followed a large piece of bush-trees of Small's Admirable Apple, about 4 

 feet in height, which bore a heavy crop of this excellent kitchen variety. These 

 are worked on the Paradise stock. Succeeding these was another piece of 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, the trees larger than any we had yet seen, the crops, as 

 well as individual fruits, being very fine. To show how the London market-gar- 

 deners make the best use of their ground, it may be stated that the piece of 

 land on which these Apples were growing produced last spring a good lot of 

 early Cabbages ; this was succeeded by early Potatoes, and before the Potatoes 

 are lifted, lines of Savoy Cabbage for winter use are planted between the rows. 



Returning again to Plums, it may be stated that the season lasts about two 

 months, the early and late varieties turning in about that time. A capital Plum 

 is Sandell's Late, considered to be of very fine quality ; it is the latest of all, and 

 fit for general use. The crops of this variety were something astonishing. 

 Mitchelson's, a medium -sized, oval - shaped, deep purple Plum, is also largely 

 grown, and a great lot of this goes to Scotland. Goliath is also grown for market 

 purposes, but the drought had told on it : it is a general good bearer. A fine late 

 cooking Plum is Autumn Compote, one of Mr Rivers's varieties. Belle de Sep- 

 tembre is another fine late Plum also. 



Here we come upon a piece of Prince of Wales Plum, where the gatherers are 

 busy at work. These and other trees are gone over three times by the pickers ; 

 the largest fruit, being also the earliest, is gathered as soon as ready ; this allows 

 space for the smaller fruit to swell, and another picking takes place when the 

 smaller fruit is ready. Of the yellow Magnum Bonum a great quantity is grown ; 

 also of Pond's Seedling, an enormously large, bright red, oval - shaped Plum, 

 some of the trees bearing very large clusters of fruit. Of Mitchelson's, Sandell's, 

 Victoria, Prince of Wales, and Diamond Plums, there were plantations of large 

 trees covered with fruit, the former preponderating. One great advantage about 

 Mitchelson's Plum is, that it looks thoroughly ripe before it really is so, aud 

 travels well : it is a rich dark purple Plum, with a fine bloom on it. All the 

 Plums that travel a long distance are packed before they are fully ripe, and 

 being placed in the baskets when somewhat hard in the flesh, get nice and 

 mellow by the time they reach their destination. They are packed in round 



