Descriptions of Select Varieties of Plums. 489 



logical authors, as late as 1832 ; and since then, now nearly 

 twenty years, no variety has been received in this country 

 like it. 



The Kirke's plum is as yet but little disseminated here; 

 we have never met with it in a bearing state, in but few col- 

 lections, and but few cultivators are acquainted with it. In 

 the vicinity of Salem, where trees were early introduced by 

 the late Mr. Manning, it is considerably grown, and justly es- 

 teemed one of the finest and most prolific varieties cultivated. 



The tree is a vigorous grower, with wood resembling the 

 Red Magnum Bonum, and leaves similar to the Green Gage ; 

 the annual shoots are moderately stout and smooth. 



Fruit, large, about two inches long and two inches in di- 

 ameter, roundish oval, broadest near the base, and narrow- 

 ing little towards the apex ; suture very shallow, extending 

 to the point : Skin, rich deep-violet purple, netted with a 

 golden russet in the sun, and covered with a thin azure 

 bloom, which does not easily rub off: Stem, medium length, 

 about three quarters of an inch long, rather stout, and insert- 

 ed in a moderately deep and rather open cavity : Flesh, 

 greenish yellow, rather firm, separating from the stone : 

 Juice, abundant, rich, sugary, and delicious: Stone, large, 

 broadly oval, and much compressed. Ripe in September. 



11. Huling's Superb. Pomological Manual, Vol. II, p. 55. 

 Keyset's Plum. Pomological Manual. 



No American plum of any merit is so little known to cul- 

 tivators generally as the Huling's Superb, {fig- 44.) It orig- 

 inated in Pennsylvania, about twenty years ago, and was 

 first described in Prince's Pomological Manual, in 1832, and 

 trees were extensively disseminated from the nurseries of the 

 author of that work. A gentleman, by the name of Keyser, 

 raised it from seed ; but, as it was first brought into particu- 

 lar notice by Dr. W. E. Huling, of that state, it received 

 his name. 



As celebrated as this plum has been. — and we recollect of 

 seeing it enumerated in a catalogue, in 1832, as being the 

 largest of all plums, weighing about four ounces each, — we 



VOL. XV. — NO. XI. 62 



