402 THE PLUM. 



66. HOWELL'S EARLY. 



This is a very desirable early fruit, ripening about the 20th 

 of July, a few days before the Morocco. It takes its name from 

 Mr. B. Howell, of Newburgh, N. Y., who brought the parent 

 tree when a sucker, from "Virginia. It appears to us unlike 

 any other described variety. The fruit is remarkably fragrant. 



Wood slender, gray and downy. Leaves small, oval, downy. 

 Fruit rather below medium size, oval, without any suture, a 

 little angular. Stalk slender, three-fourths of an inch long, set 

 even with the surface. Skin light brown, often greenis-h-yellow 

 on the shaded side, covered with a thin blue bloom. Flesh am- 

 ber coloured, melting, juicy, with a sweet and perfumed flavour, 

 separates from the stone, which is quite small and oval. Very 

 productive. 



67. ICKWORTH IMPERATRICE. Thomp. 



Knight's No. 6. 



The Ickworth Imperatrice was raised by Mr. Knight, of 

 Downton Castle, and is a hybrid between Blue Imperatrice and 

 Coe's Golden Drop. It is one of the numerous recent and valu- 

 able additions to the class of late plums, prolonging this form- 

 erly fleeting fruit the whole autumn. It hangs a long while on 

 the tree, and if gathered and wrapped in soft paper, will keep 

 many weeks much longer than any other variety, and is, per- 

 haps, one of the best late dessert sorts. 



Branches smooth. Fruit rather above medium size, obovate. 

 Skin purple, peculiarly traced or embroidered with streaks of 

 golden fawn colour. Stalk moderately long and thick. Flesh 

 greenish-yellow, sweet, juicy and rich, inosfly adhering to the 

 stone, which is rather small. Ripens early in October, and 

 may be kept till Christmas, gradually becoming dryer and more 

 sugary. It will, even if laid away in paper in a dry place, be- 

 come an excellent prune, and it has been found in this state, 

 and with an excellent flavour, the next summer. 



68. ITALIAN DAMASK. Lind. 

 Damas d'ltalie. O. Duh. Thomp. 



Branches smooth. Fruit middle sized, nearly round, a little 

 flattened at the base, and having a well marked suture extending 

 from the stalk to the apex. Stalk half an inch long, slender, 

 inserted in a small round cavity. Skin violet, becoming brown 

 when fully ripe. Flesh yellowish-green, firm, and separates 

 clean from the stone. Juice very sweet and high flavoured. 

 Stone oval, rather thick. End of August. [Lindley's Guide.] 



