102 Fifteen Varieties of Early Phims. 



Art. II. Remarks on Fifteen Varieties of Early Plums, 

 which Jiuve fruited in the Pomological Garden at Salem. 

 By R. Manning. 



In the following remarks, I have considered as early plums 

 those which ripen before the Green Gage. 



1. RivERs's Early Favorite, (formerly Rivers's Seedling, 

 No. 1.) Size from small to medium ; form somewhat oblong, a 

 little one-sided; suture very slight; skin very dark, almost 

 black, thickly sprinkled with russet dots, and a few blotches of 

 russet under a blue bloom ; stem short, hardly half ati inch in 

 length, set in a small cavity ; stone small, parting very freely 

 from the flesh, which is sweet, juicy, and of fine flavor. The 

 best of the very early plums, no collection is complete with- 

 out it. It is a good grower, making strong downy shoots. Ripe 

 the first of August, being the earliest worth growing. The 

 Rivers Seedling, No. 2. or Early Prolific, has not yet fruited 

 in this country that I know of. 



2. Cheston or Matchless. — Of medium size; form oval, 

 somewhat pointed at each end; skin dark reddish purple, 

 thickly sprinkled with very minute grayish specks, and cov- 

 ered with a thick blue bloom; stem five eighths of an inch 

 long, in a narrow cavity. Flesh, sweet, juicy, and of good 

 flavor ; it adheres to the stone. Ripe the first part of August. 

 Wood very downy and vigorous. 



3. Morocco. — Fruit of medium size, roundish, of good fla- 

 vor, only partially a clingstone. This variety is well known, 

 and commonly considered one of the finest, but, in my opin- 

 ion, (in which I am joined by good judges, who are acquaint- 

 ed with both,) it is inferior to the Cheston, with which it 

 ripens. 



4. Black Damask. — Medium size; form roundish, a little 

 oval, somewhat sunk at the blossom end, and flattened at the 

 stem ; suture moderately deep ; stem very short, sometimes 

 hardly more than a quarter of an inch in length, stout, and 

 inserted in a narrow cavity ; flesh greenish, inclining to yel- 

 .ow near the stone, juicy, with a sweet rich flavor; a half 

 cling ; stone short, broad, and thick, roundish, and of medium 

 size. Ripe from the 20th to the 25th of August. In all the 



