VARIETIES OF PLUMS 377 



roundish or depressed ; color purplish-red ; bloom thin ; dots numerous, small, 

 russet, inconspicuous; stem 1 inch long, thinly pubescent, adhering to the 

 fruit; flesh light golden-yellow, coarse, fibrous, firm, sweet, mild; fair in 

 quality; stone semi-clinging, long -oval, flattened, with rough and pitted 

 surfaces. 



581. Imperial Epineuse. — The fruits of Imperial Epineuse 

 are not surpassed in quality by those of any 

 other plum; moreover, they are most pleas- 

 ing in appearance, being large, beautiful in 

 shape, and made further attractive by a 

 handsome reddish-purple color which is 

 lighter or darker according to the exposure 

 to the sun. The tree is particularly large 

 and vigorous, its strong growth being a strik- 

 ing characteristic of the variety. Wherever 

 tried, fruit and tree are liked and the va- 

 riety is certain to grow in popularity in 

 eastern orchards for both home and market 

 plantations. Imperial Epineuse was found p^^ 211. French, 

 about 1870 near Clairac, France. It was 

 brought to the United States by Felix Gillett, Nevada City, 

 California, in 1883. 



Tree large, vigorous, spreading, productive. Fruit late; large, obovate, 

 purplish-red, darker on the sunny side, mottled, overspread with thick bloom ; 

 flesh greenish -yellow, fibrous, tender, sweet, agreeable in flavor; very good; 

 stone clinging, irregular-oval, flattened^ obliquely but bluntly contracted 

 at the base, with pitted surfaces. 



Section II. Fruits Small, Less Than I14 Inches in Diam- 

 eter. (Insititias) 



Group 4. Purple Insititias 



582. French (Fig. 211). This excellent Damson is largely 

 grown for the market, for good quality as well as size and ap- 

 pearance of the fruit aid in selling the product. The fruits have 

 but one defect, the pit is large for the amount of flesh. The 

 trees are large, hardy, bear abundantly and annually, and carry 

 their foliage so well that fruit and wood usually ripen perfectly. 



