THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 



33 



long-oval shape, more or less necked, yellow or purple color and the 

 yellow flesh. The plums are produced on tall, upright-spreading trees. 



The Imperatrice Plums. — This is a poorly defined assemblage of varie- 

 ties, of which dark blue color, heavy bloom, medium size and oval shape 

 are the chief characters. It is impossible to trace the origin of the group 

 or to refer varieties to it with accurac\-. The Imperatrice, of which Ick- 

 worth is an offspring, seems to have been one of the first of the blue 

 plums to receive general recognition, and can as well as any other variety 

 give name to the type. This group contains by far the greatest number 

 of varieties of an}- of the divisions as here outlined, chiefly because 

 the color, the size, and the shape are all popular with growers and con- 

 sumers. This has not always been the case, for in the old pomologies, 

 blue plums are comparativel}' few in number, Parkinson, for instance, 

 giving in his list of sixty in 1629 not more than a half-dozen Domesticas 

 that are blue. 



Among the varieties that fall into this group are: — Ickworth, Dia- 

 mond, Arch Duke, Monarch, Englebert, Shipper, Arctic, Smith Orleans 

 and Quackenboss. 



About the only characters that will hold for this large and variable 

 group are those of the fruits as given above, though to these may be added 

 for most of the varieties included in the division, thick skin and firm flesh, 

 clinging stones and poor quality. The trees vary much but are usually 

 hardy, thrifty and productive, making the members of the group prime 

 favorites with commercial fruit-growers. 



The Lombard Plums. — Just as the blue plums have been thrown in 

 the last named group, so we may roughly classify a number of red or red- 

 dish or mottled varieties in one group. If the oldest name applicable 

 to this group were given it should be called after the Diaper plums, well- 

 known and much cultivated French sorts of two and three centuries ago. 

 Since they are no longer cultivated, and as the Lombard seems to be a 

 direct offspring of them and is fairly typical of the division, the name 

 chosen is as applicable as any. These plums differ but little from those of 

 the preceding group, except in color and in having a more obovate shape, 

 a more marked suture, smaller size and possibly even greater hardiness 

 and productiveness, and if anything, even poorer quality, though to this 

 last statement there are several marked exceptions. In this group are no 

 doubt many varieties which are crosses between some of the old red plums 

 and varieties of the other groups given. 



