VARIETIES OF PLUMS 



373 



Fig. 204. Monarch. 



changing to light golden-yellow, dry, firm, tender, sweet, mild, astringent 

 at the center; fair in quality; stone unusually clinging, large, ovate or 

 oval, blunt at the base and apex, roughened and pitted. 



574. Monarch (Fig. 204). — The nicely 

 turned form and the rich purple color make 

 the fruits of Monarch handsome; while the 

 quality is not of the best, it is good as com- 

 pared with other purple varieties. Monarch 

 is not remarkable for its tree characters, yet 

 these average well with those of other plums, 

 and, with those of the fruit, make a variety 

 quite above the average, giving it a place 

 among the best (3ommercial sorts. Monarch 

 was grown by Thomas Rivers, Sawbridge- 

 worth, England, and was introduced by the 

 originator in 1885. 



Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, open-topped, hardy, 

 productive. Fruit late; 2 inches by 1% inches in size, round-oval, halves 

 unequal; cavity deep, narrow, abrupt; suture shallow; apex flattened; color 

 dark purplish-red, with russet flecks scattered over the surface, with thick 

 bloom; dots numerous, small, reddish-brown, conspicuous; stem thick, % 

 inch long, pubescent; skin thin, tender, astringent, separating readily; flesh 

 golden-yellow, juicy, fibrous, tender, aromatic; good; stone clinging, long- 

 oval, turgid, roughened and pitted, pointed at the base, blunt at the apex. 



575. Grand Duke (Fig. 205) is the favorite late-shipping 

 plum in eastern America. Its popularity is 

 due to large size, handsome color, and firm 

 meaty flesh, which fits the fruits excellently 

 for shipping. The plum is not more than a 

 second-rate dessert fruit, although it is very 

 good in whatever way cooked. The trees 

 grow poorly in the nursery and in the or- 

 chard are seldom large and vigorous enough 

 to be called first class ; they come in bearing 

 slowly, but bear regularly and abundantly 

 and hold the crop well, the plums being 

 unusually free from rot and hanging in 



good condition a long time. Grand Duke is 

 another of the many valuable plums produced by Thomas Rivers, 

 Sawbridgeworth, England. 



Fig. 



205. Grand 

 Duke. 



