74 



THE FRUIT GROWERS GUIDE. 



III. CULINARY. 



Flesh too firm, too briskly flavoured, or not rich enough for eating raw ; cooked excellent ; grand preserved ; 



some first-rate when dried. 



t ARCHDUKE. Fruit large, oval ; skin purple, almost 

 black ; flesh close and richly flavoured ; ripe in the 

 beginning of October, and useful for dessert ; tree a 

 good grower, hardy, and prolific. 



AUTUMN COMPOTE. Fruit very large, oval ; skin bright 

 red, handsome ; flesh amber when preserved, juicy, 

 and pleasantly flavoured ; ripe in the end of Septem- 

 ber ; tree moderately vigorous, and an abundant 

 bearer ; good as a pyramid. 



BELGIAN PURPLE. Fruit medium to large, roundish 

 oval ; skin deep purple, covered with blue bloom ; 

 flesh greenish, juicy, and richly flavoured, semi- 

 freestone ; ripe in the middle of August ; tree 

 healthy, and a great bearer ; succeeds as a standard, 

 pyramid, or cordon, and produces fine fruit against a 

 wall. A valuable market kind, and useful for dessert. 

 BELLE DE LOUVAIN. Fruit very large, long oval, 

 handsome ; skin reddish purple, covered with a fine 

 bloom ; flesh yellow, firm, cooking well, and agree- 

 ably flavoured, clingstone ; ripe at the end of 

 August ; tree vigorous, hardy, and a free bearer. 

 'BELLE BE SEPTEMBRE. Fruit large, roundish oval, 

 handsome ; skin reddish purple, dotted with yellow, 

 and covered with a blue bloom ; flesh yellowish 

 white, firm, juicy, and aromatic, clingstone ; ripe 

 in the beginning of October ; tree an upright 

 grower, and great bearer. An excellent cooking or 

 preserving fruit, giving a crimson syrup. 

 BLUE IMPERATRICE. Frtiit medium, oval; skin deep 

 purple, covered with a thick blue bloom ; flesh 

 greenish yellow, firm, richly flavoured, clingstone ; 

 ripe in October ; tree moderately vigorous, and a 

 free bearer, requires an east wall ; useful for dessert, 

 and an excellent plum for preserving, 

 t CZAR (Rivers'). Fruit large, roundish oval ; skin red, 

 becoming reddish purple when ripe, covered with 

 a thin blue bloom ; flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, 

 and agreeably flavoured, freestone ; ripe at the 

 beginning of August ; tree hardy, robust, and a good 

 bearer, succeeding as a standard, pyramid, or wall 

 tree. A valuable market plum ; the fruit is not 

 liable to crack. 



t DENBIGH, or Cox's EMPEROR. Fruit large, roundish 

 oval ; skin bright dark red, strewn with grey dots, 

 and covered with thin bluish bloom, handsome ; 

 flesh yellow, rather rich, and pleasantly flavoured ; 

 ripe in the beginning of September ; tree a strong 

 grower, and a good bearer. Excellent for cooking, 

 and useful for dessert ; superior to Orleans. 



DIAMOND. Fruit very large, oval ; skin dark purple, 

 nearly black, covered with blue bloom ; flesh deep 

 yellow, firm, and briskly yet agreeably flavoured, 

 semi-freestone ; ripe in the middle of September ; 

 tree very vigorous, hardy, and an excellent bearer; 

 succeeds well as a standard, and produces enormous 

 fruit against a wall. One of the best cooking and 

 preserving plums. 



EARLY PROLIFIC (Rivers'). Fruit medium, roundish 

 oval ; skin deep purple, covered with thin bloom ; 

 flesh yellowish, juicy, sugary, with a brisk acidity, 

 freestone ; ripe about the end of July ; tree hardy, a 

 moderate grower, very prolific and constant. The 

 earliest market plum, and excellent for cooking and 

 preserving ; useful for dessert. 



GISBORNE'S. Fruit small to medium, roundish oval ; 

 skin greenish yellow, changing to amber ; flesh 

 yellow, firm, briskly yet agreeably flavoured, free- 

 stone ; ripe in the middle of August ; tree a sturdy 

 grower, and a profuse bearer, succeeding as a stan- 

 dard, even in the north. A good market variety, 

 rivalling the Pershore plum. 



GOLIATH. Fruit large, roundish oblong ; skin reddish 

 purple, with a thin blue bloom ; flesh yellow, juicy, 

 brisk, and well flavoured, semi-clingstone ; ripe at 

 the end of August ; tree vigorous, and a good bearer, 

 but requires a warm soil. 



t GRAND DUKE (Rivers'). Fruit very large, oval ; skin 

 purple, with a fine bloom; flesh yellow, firm, finely 

 flavoured, clingstone ; ripe in the middle of October ; 

 tree sturdy, and a free bearer, succeeding as a pyra- 

 mid or cordon, also as a standard, and grown against 

 a wall. Useful for dessert, and valuable for market. 

 HERON (Rivers'). " Fruit very large ; purple and red ; 

 freestone ; a culinary plum of great excellence ; 

 tree an abundant bearer ; ripe early in August." 

 MITCHELSON'S. Fruit medium, oval ; skin dark purple, 

 nearly black, covered with a blue bloom ; flesh 

 yellow, tender, juicy, with a pleasing' damson-like 

 flavour, freestone ; ripe at the end of August or early 

 in September; very prolific, bearing in clusters. 

 Much grown for market. 



fMoNARCH (Rivers'). Fruit very large, roundish oval ; 

 skin dark purplish blue, with a fine bloom ; flesh 

 greenish yellow, firm, and close, excellent flavour 

 when cooked, freestone ; ripe in September and not 

 liable to crack in wet weather ; tree robust, and an 

 abundant bearer ; succeeds in standard, pyramid, 

 cordon, or wall tree forms. Valuable for market. 



