Red, Purple, or Blue. 337 



usually soon after midsummer. If deferred, the bark will not peel 

 freely, and the buds will not adhere. 



The time required to attain a sufficient size for the orchard, varies 

 much with different sorts. The Imperial Gage, the Washington, 

 Ruling's Superb, and others, grow rapidly, and usually produce 

 good trees in two years from the graft or bud ; while such slow- 

 growing plums as the Primordian, Green Gage, and Red Diaper, 

 require a longer period. 



Soil. The best soil, usually, is a strong, rich, clayey loam. On 

 many light soils the tree grows with less vigor, independently of 

 which the crop is more frequently destroyed by the curculio, a per- 

 vious soil affording a more ready place of shelter for the young 

 insects, on their escape from the fallen fruit. A few varieties are 

 well adapted to rather dry as well as light lands. 



In planting orchards, a suitable distance is one rod apart, giving 

 one hundred and sixty trees to the acre. The ground should be 

 manured and kept well cultivated, as the plum, especially when 

 young, is sensitive to the effects of the weeds and grass of neglected 

 culture. 



ARRANGEMENT OF VARIETIES. 

 DIVISION I. Red, Purple, or Blue. 

 DIVISION II. Green, White, or Yellow. 



DIVISION I. RED, PURPLE, OR BLUE. 



r>lne Imperatrice. (Imperatrice.) Size medium, obovate, narrowed 

 to the base in a somewhat conic neck ; skin deep purple, bloom 

 copious, blue ; stalk three-fourths of an inch long, slightly sunk ; 

 flesh greenish yellow, rather firm, not juicy, rich, sugary ; ripening 

 very late, and hanging till nearly winter. 



The variety known erroneously as the Semiana or Blue Imperatrice 

 of Boston, and disseminated as such, differs from the true Impera- 

 trice in its shorter and smaller neck, much shorter and not sunk 

 stalk, and more acid flavor. It is very productive, and a good 

 very late culinary sort. 



BRADSHAW, Large, obovate, with an obtuse suture on one side, 

 sometimes with a very slight neck; color dark purple, with a 

 light blue bloom ; stalk three-fourths of an inch long, cavity nar- 



15 



