An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



165 



Plum — contimted. 



according as the variety may be a vigorous or a weak- 

 growiug one. New varieties are raised from seeds. 



Soil and Situafion. Plum-trees succeed in any fairly 

 good loamy soil, provided the subsoil is open and properly 

 drained. The ground should be well trenched previous to 

 planting, although the roots of Plums are naturally dis- 

 posed nearer to the surface than those of Apples and 

 Pears. In a very rich soil, the growths usually made are 

 too vigorous to become well ripened ; in that which is 

 moderately light, yet sufficiently moist, the trees succeed 

 and prodiice the best-flavoured fruits. Respecting flavour, 

 however, much depends on the amount of sunshine and 

 light available. In market gardens, where the trees under 

 notice are very extensively grown, they are planted in lines 

 ranging from 15ft. to '20ft. apart, and the intervening 

 spaces are occupied with Gooseberries and Currants. 

 Standards and half- standards arc generally favoured ; but 

 dwarf and bush-trees arc also extensively planted in market 

 as well as in private gardens. All the finer dessert sorts 

 should, if possible, be favoured with wall space in private 

 establishments, as their fruits are invariably of so much 

 importance, and the crop is more certain with the pro- 

 tection of a wall than when the trees are fully exposed. 

 A temporary covering, while the blossoms are open, may 

 also be readily applied, should frost or unfavourable 

 weather prevail. In a southern aspect, the fruits attain 

 their highest flavour ; but this position is usually required 

 for Peaches and other trees that are less hardy than 

 Plums, and the latter are relegated to the walls with 

 an eastern or western exposure — positions in which they 

 succeed admirably. As already noted, the roots of Plum- 

 trees run near the surface, and esiJecially is this the 

 case when the soil is left uudug. All the available 

 border space is invariably requii*ed for numerous crops ; 

 and if. a width of about 2ft. or 3ft. is left untouched next 

 the wall, the other portion may be dug and cropped 

 annually. The digging-over of this portion should not, 

 however, be left longer than one season without being 

 attended to, or the young roots will ascend, and the 

 work cannot be performed without cutting them ofi". 



Pruning, Training, i^'f. For Plum-trees against walls, 

 the fan method of training is the best, as one or other 

 of the branches is liable to die off occasionally, and its 

 place can be more readily occupied by those next 

 situated than would be possible with another method, 

 as, for instance, horizontal training. For the open ground, 

 standards, half-standards, pyi*amids, and bush trees, are 

 available, as already stated. Mr. Rivers states that 

 *' Plums form most fertile oblique cordons ; no matter how 

 the shoots are pinched, they will produce large crops of 

 remarkably fine fruit, and continue to bear in spite of 

 excessive pinching, forming cylinders of fruit ; their 

 worst tendency is to excessive growth, which must be 

 checked by root-pruuing." Plums are admirably adapted 

 for culture in pots : late sorts, which can only be ripened 

 with difficulty outside, arrive at great perfection under 

 glass. See Orchard House. The fruit of the Plum is 

 produced on small spurs, which form in great quantities 

 on the ends and along the sides of bearing shoots of from 

 one to three years' growth — that is, supposing they are 

 well ripened. In pruning, therefore, these spurs should be 

 carefully preserved, and also a sufficient quantity of young 

 wood kept annually to replace any which becomes old 

 and unfruitful. The main branches on a fan-trained tree 

 should be allowed plenty of space, and any irregular or 

 misplaced ones removed, after provision can be made for 

 filling their places with others of a better description. 

 Summer pruning consists in shortening back the young 

 shoots, treating the upper part of the tree first, to 

 encourage the production of blossom-buds on the short 

 spurs left. At the winter pruning, weak and un- 

 ripened wood form the chief parts to be cut away. If 

 Plum-trees become unfruitful, because of vigorous wood- 



Flum — continued. 

 growth, they should be lifted early in autumn, and root- 

 pruned. It has been recommended that pyramid trees 

 should be lifted and replanted, if necessary, every two 

 years ; this operation gives them a proper check, and 

 greatly increases their fertility. Standard Plum-trees 

 in the open ground, when once they are properly started, 

 require but little pruning or training, unless the heads 

 become too much crowded, when the weak wood should 

 be cut out. If vigorous shoots appear, as they often 

 will, in the centre of a young tree, they should be 

 pinched at an early stage, in order to check the sap. 

 Such shoots seldom ripen properly on any fruit-tree, and 

 their production should not be encouraged. Sometimes 

 excessive vigour may be materially checked by simply 

 clipping off a quantity of the leaves, on shoots so dis- 

 posed, across the centre, with a view to arresting the 

 flow of sap to the leaves, and thus indirectly affecting 

 its progress to unduly enlarge the shoot. 



Plums intended for dessert should be allowed to hang 

 until they are nearly ready to drop from the tree ; when 

 only required for cooking, it is not of so much import- 

 ance. The bloom on choice fruits should be carefully 

 preserved, by handling only the stem when gathering 

 them, and placing single layers in a shallow basket or 

 box for transmitting to a cool fruit-room. Fruits with 

 their bloom uninjured by rubbing are better able to 

 withstand atmospheric changes than are tho.se roughly 

 handled, the bloom being their natural protection. Some 

 few sorts, amongst which Coe's Golden Drop is a well- 

 known example, will keep good for dessert a long time 

 after being gathered, if wrapped in paper, and stood in a 

 dry, airy place : these fruits attain their highest flavour 

 when they become partially shrivelled. Plums and 

 Damsons for cooking may be sent, before they get too 

 ripe, very long distances, by being packed closely in a 

 box, with a little soft chaft" shaken in to fill up inter- 

 stices between them. That cut from Oat straw is the 

 best. 



So rfs. The following list includes most of the best 

 varieties of Plums, both for dessert and kitchen use, 

 which ripen from the early until the latter part of the 

 season. There are many others in cultivation which it is 

 thought unnecessary to refer to here, but it is not unlikely 

 that some are omitted which should have had their merits 

 recognised. Plenty are, however, enumerated for all pur- 

 poses. 



Angelina Burdett. Fruit round, of medium size ; skin dark 

 pmplo, thickly cuvered with brown spots and a blue bloom ; flesh 

 very riL-h and juiey. A good dessert Plum, which ripens eiirly in 

 September, ami may be kept until it shrivels, when the flavour 

 is very rich. 



Autumn Compote (Rivers'). Fruit oval, very large, bright red, 

 and handsome, of flr.st-rate quality for preserving. End of Sep- 

 tember. A valuable, late culinary variety. 



Belgian Purple. Fruit medium or large, roundish, deep jmrple 

 tiesh juicy and richly flavoured. Middle of August. Dessert or 

 kitchen. 



Belle de Septembre. Fruit large and handsome, roundish-oval, 

 reddish-purple, covered with yellow .-spots and a thin bloom. 

 Ejirly in October. An excellent kitchen sort. The tree is an 

 enurumus bearer. 



Blue Imp^ratrice. Fruit medium, roundish-ovate, deep purple, 

 with thick, blue bloimi ; tiesh rich, but not very juicy. October. 

 An excellent variety fur preserving and for dessert ; when allowed 

 to hang, the fruits become very richly tiavoured. The tree is an 

 excellent Ije^irer ; it should be grown against a wall. 



Bryanston Gage. Fruit large, round, green, blotched with 

 red ; flesh juicy and rich. September. A large and excellent 

 variety of Urekn Uage, which ripens about a fortnight later 

 than the last-named. Dessert. 



Coe's Golden Drop. Fruit very large, oval, pale yellow, with 

 numerous dark red spots ; flesh juicy, rich, and most delicious 

 when well ripened. End of September. One of the finest late 

 Plums for dessert or preserving. The tree deserves a wall, but 

 bears well in the open ; it is also well adapted for pot culture. 



Cooper's Large. Fruit medium or large, oval, dark purple next 

 the sun, with numerous brown dots ; flesh juicy, and of rich 

 flavour. End of September and beginning of October. Desseit 



