288 



THE PLUM 



quite distinct. Its great hardiness and productiveness, joined to 

 its rich sugary flavour, make it a favourite sort. There is a, 

 tree in the gardens here, thirty years old, which still bears most 

 excellent crops annually. 



Branches smooth, short-jointed, with glossy leaves, and form- 

 ing a large spreading head. Fruit a little above medium size, 

 oval, rather broadest towards the 

 stalk. Suture a mere line. Skin 

 golden yellow, a little clouded, 

 and covered with a copious white 

 bloom. Stalk an inch long, in- 

 serted in a small round cavity. 

 Flesh deep yellow, rich, sugafy 

 and melting, though sometimes 

 rather dry ; parts freely from the 

 stone. Ripens rather early, about 

 the first week in August. 



The growth of this plum is not 

 only very different from the Im- 

 perial Gage, but the fruit of the 

 latter is readily distinguished by 

 its abundant juiciness, its green- 

 ish colour, and the superiour 

 sprightliness of its flavour. Fig. 115. Prince's Yellow Ga^e. 



37. YELLOW GAGE, [of the English.] Thomp. 



Little Queen Claude. Mill. Lind. 

 Petite Reine Claude. O. Duh. 

 Reine Claude blanche. 



petite espece. 

 Small Green Gasre. ) of some 



Gonne's Green Gage. > English 

 White Gage. ) gardens. 



This plum, formerly known, we believe, as the Little Queen 

 Claude, but which has now received the soubriquet of Yellow 

 Gage, we suppose for good reasons, from the head of the fruit 

 department, in the London Horticultural Society's garden, is an 

 old French variety, described by Duhamel. It is of smaller 

 size than the true Green Gage, much inferior in flavour, and 

 does not appear to us much worthy of cultivation, when that 

 plum, the Jefferson, and Lawrence's Favourite can be had. 



Branches smooth and rather long. Fruit below medium size, 

 round, with a distinct suture on one side. Stalk half an inch 

 long, rather slender, inserted in a slight hollow. Skin pale yel- 

 lowish-green, speckled with a few reddish dots, and overspread 

 with a good deal of bloom. Flesh pale yellow, sweet, and 

 pleasant, separates freely from the stone. Ripens about the 

 middle of August. 



