284 



NOTES ON FORCING PLUMS- 



ing showers, no excessive heat or drouth, 

 to injure the blossoming or setting of the 

 fruit, they consequently bear in huge clus- 

 ters, presenting a charming scene to every 

 beholder. 



The Rel Imperial, [Red Magnum Bonum] 

 called also the "Early Forcing," is found 

 in every forcing-house, being easily grown 

 and bearing the knife well. The fruit is 

 large, prune-like, of a reddish-blue, and 

 good quality. The Lnpe/ial Violette is also 

 large and handsome, of a reddish-blue, 

 ripening rather later than the former, but 

 surpassing it in flavor ; they both bear every 

 operation in forcing kindly, and the fruit 

 hangs on well. The Yelloio Early Fru7ie 

 is earlier, however, than either : bears in 

 superabundance, in huge chisters, and the 

 fruit is a real ornament to the fruit-basket. 

 The "Monsieur" [Orleans] is still earlier: 

 a round, blue, rather small, but good fruit. 

 But the Johannes Pfiaume, Prune de St. Jean, 

 [Jaune Hative ? — Ed.] is best of all adapt- 

 ed to forcing ; being one of the earliest 

 plums bearing in quantities, patient of 

 pruning, and not at all sensitive to changes 

 of temperature. Not so La Royale de Tours, 

 an early, large, round, violet-blue, and 

 capital fruit. The Normand Perdrigon de- 

 serves forch'^g, particularly on account of 

 its beauty: it bears abundantly, and is by 

 no means tender, but ripens late. The 

 Red Prime may also be forced, as it repays 

 our attention, for the beauty of its colours. 

 The Violet Perdrigon, and the Variegated 

 Perdrigonnxe extremely handsome, and very 

 good plums. The Yellow Mirabelle and the 

 True Earhj Prune are something later, but 

 very excellent fruits. The last named de- 

 serves one of the best places in your house. 

 All plums, in fact, may be pruned. The 

 prunes, however, bear the knife better than 

 the true plums, which in general throw 

 out strong, thick, pithy summer shoots. 



These trees should not be forced two 

 years in succession ; nor is it advisable to 

 force trees just potted, as they are very apt 

 to drop their fruit. One should, therefore, 

 always have on hand a supply of trees in 

 pots a year or two in advance, and such as 

 show plenty of fruit-buds. 



The cultivation of plum trees in pots in 

 the open air, is also a source of enjoyment, 

 as they blossom readily. But the blossoms 

 should be protected from rain and cold 

 nights, of which they are very intolerant, 

 and from which they must be protected if 

 you expect gratification from their fruiting. 

 I have set tall stakes alongside the tree, 

 over which were thrown rafters to support 

 shutters, which rendered good service the 

 whole season, since the rain occasions the 

 falling of the fruit, prematurely cracks them, 

 and also renders them vapid and tasteless. 

 These covers are taken off in fine weather. 

 They are indispensable to all fruit trees, and 

 without them you can never be quite success- 

 ful and certain of enjoying a fine crop. In- 

 stead of wooden covers, straw or rush mats, 

 or canvass awning may be made use of. Of 

 course the laying on and tailing off' these 

 covers, throughout the year, occasion a good 

 deal of trouble, but one is well rewarded 

 for the pains. Consider what infinite toil 

 and attention the florist expends on his fa- 

 vorites, which only gratify the eye and 

 olfactory nerves ; whilst fine fruit, together 

 with these, excites the palate, also, most 

 exquisitely. Should you have no fit place 

 under shelter, to set your pots during winter, 

 they may be drawn out and laid in, in the 

 open ground. In the spring they are to be 

 repotted ; first shortening in their roots, 

 shaking off' the old and adding new, rich 

 earth, which does not impede their fruiting, 

 as the stock of the root adheres to a hall 

 of earth. 



Fishkill Landing, N. Y., Nov. 1848. 



