PLUMS, AND A FEW GOOD KINDS. 129 



stone. It ripens the middle of August, on a standard, 

 and earlier on a wall. The tree has smooth branches, it 

 is hardy, and a most abundant bearer when it produces ; 

 but it is rather uncertain. It is, without exception, the 

 best plum we have, and when grown upon a healthy 

 standard, with plenty of sun, it is richer than when 

 grown on a wall, although, of course, not so large. 

 Other names are Eeine Claude, Grosse Eeine Claude, 

 Daupbine, Abricot Vert, Yerte Bonne, and Brugnon 

 GreeDgage. There is also a Yellow Gage, which is 

 very inferior ; both are, however, excellent for pre- 

 serving. Yet another, and much nearer to the Green- 

 gage in excellence, is the Purple Gage. The tree 

 much resembles the Greengage, as does also the 

 fruit, except in the colour, which is violet, powdered 

 with a light-coloured bloom. It appears to be a much 

 newer variety, and has the additional merit of keeping 

 until October. 



The Cherry plum is worth growing on account of its 

 excellence for preserving. The fruit is small and heart- 

 shaped, like a Bigarreau cherry, with scarcely any 

 suture, and with a small slender prickle at the tip. It is 

 pale red, with a few grey specks, very sweet, juicy, rather 

 acid, and thick in the skin. The flesh is yellow and 

 soft, adhering slightly to the stone, and the stalk is 

 rather long and slender, set in a very small round 

 cavity. It ripens the middle of August. The branches 

 of the tree are smooth, with a wiry slender growth, 

 and it is a pretty tree for shrubberies on account of 

 the bloom coming very early. It is a good bearer, and 

 is nice for dessert, and for tarts, as well as being so very 

 good for preserving : it is a particularly bright-looking, 

 pretty little plum. It is an old sort, and other names 

 for it are Virginian Cherry, Mirabolen, and Prunus- 

 cerasifera. I believe it requires rather a warm, 

 position. 



The Blue Perdrigon, Perdrigon Violette, Brignole 

 Violette, or Perdrigou, is a useful plum for preserving, 

 and also has a sweet pleasant flavour for eating. The* 

 fruit is middle-sized, oval, narrow towards the stalk, 



