134 THE OBCHAKD AND EETJIT GAEDEtf. 



Drop, Coe's Plum, Bury Seedling, J. Fair's Golden 

 Drop. 



Coe's Late Eed is a very good purple late plum, ripen- 

 ing the end of October. It is, I believe, a compara- 

 tively new introduction. 



The Imperatrice is another splendid, very late plum, 

 which should have a place in every garden, however small 

 the number of plums there is room for, provided there 

 be an east or south-east wall to give it, which, in most 

 localities, is necessary to bring it to perfection. The 

 fruit is a fine deep purple, with a very thick rich bloom, 

 oblong, blunt at the ends, and tapering a little towards 

 the base ; not very juicy, but with a sweet full luscious 

 flavour. The stalk is very long, and the flesh firm 

 yellowish- green, and adhering to the stone. The 

 branches are long and smooth, and the tree is a good 

 bearer. The fruit ripens in October, and, if well taken 

 care of, it will keep until the middle of December. 

 Imperatrice Violette is its French name. 



The Downton Imperatrice was raised by Mr. Knight 

 from the "White Magnum Bonum, crossed with the pollen 

 of the Blue Imperatrice. The tree is a most rampant 

 grower, and the young wood has much the appearance of 

 that of the Magnum Bonum, only much stronger in its 

 growth. The branches are long and smooth. The fruit 

 is very much like the Imperatrice in shape, but dull 

 yellow in colour, with a very thin delicate skin, soft and 

 mellow, with a full piquant flavour. It ripens in October, 

 and will keep well. The White Imperatrice is an earlier 

 plum, which'ripens on a west wall, but it is too delicate 

 for a standard. The fruit is long bright yellow, with a 

 frail bloom; transparent, firm, juicy, sweet, and sepa- 

 rating from the stone ; the stalk is short. Its French 

 name is Imperatrice Blanche, and the German Die 

 Weisse Kaiserpflaume. 



The Saint Catherine is another good old late plum, 

 which, like the Imperatrice, may be left to hang and 

 shrivel on the tree, and acquire the richness of a sweet- 

 meat. The plum is middle-sized, oblong, widest at the 

 apex, with a small suture ; whitish in colour, turning to 



