The Domestica Plums 23 



as a separate type from very early times. They were 

 brought to France from Italy about the year 1500, by 

 Queen Claudia, wife of Francis I. The name, Reine 

 Claude, was given in her honor. Not long afterward 

 the Reine Claude plums were introduced to England. 

 The introduction into England came from Italy, under 

 the old Italian name, Yerdoch, and from France with 

 the labels lost. This latter importation from which the 

 labels were lost came to the Gage family, prominent 

 English amateur horticulturists of that day; and from 

 this family received the name, Green Gage. 



These varieties come more or less true from seed, 

 and they have been largely propagated in that way. 

 This has given rise to a large group of varieties, — 

 many of them having originated in this country, — all 

 having numerous characters in common with the 

 typical Green Gage. These group characters are as 

 follows: Foliage usually large, leaves broad and rather 

 flat, with very coarse serrations; fruit, nearly spherical, 

 in a few varieties slightly elongated, green or tardily 

 turning to a dull, creamy yellow, occasionally with a 

 faint pink blush; flesh, rather firm or even hard, green, 

 clinging to the stone, (partially free in a few varieties). 



The principal varieties of this type grown in this 

 country are: Bavay, Green Gage, Lawrence, Imperial 

 Gage, McLaughlin, Jefferson, Washington, General 

 Hand, Lucombe Nonsuch, Bleeker, Peters Gage, 

 Ouillin, Bryanston and Golden Gage. 



It is one of the most persistent types to be found 

 among the plums. It is als.o one of the best. 



The Dame Aubert type. — This includes our largest 

 plums, perhaps excepting one or two hybrids. It 

 appears to be of more modern origin than some of the 

 other types of Domestica plums, yet it has been known 

 in Europe for about two centuries at least. The old 

 European variety, which is best known and oftenest 



