THE McLaughlin plum. 



McLaughlin, Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xvi. p. 456. 



Among all the numerous varieties of plums that have been produced 

 by American cultivators, the McLaughlin must claim the most prominent 

 place. It is not as large as the Washington, or as beautiful as the 

 Jefferson, but in its rich and luscious flavor it surpasses either of them, 

 and comes nearer to that standard of excellence among plums, — the 

 Green Gage, — than any other variety ; in the opinion of many, being 

 quite equal to it, and in some respects a more valuable one for general 

 cultivation. The Green Gage is at the best but an indifferent growing 

 tree, very irregular in its habit, hardly, indeed, more than a shrub, and 

 on this account is objected to by many who hke fine standard trees. 

 The McLaughlin is as vigorous as the Washington ; the fruit is larger 

 than the Green Gage, and it does not appear to be so likely to crack, 

 in unfavorable seasons, as that old variety. 



The McLaughlin was raised from seed by Mr. James McLaughlin, of 

 Bangor, Me., and first fruited about ten years ago. Specimens of the 

 fruit were first sent to us in 1846, and through the kindness of Mr, 

 McLaughlin, we were favored with a few of the scions from the original 

 tree ; these we grafted into vigorous stocks, and in a year or two had 

 the pleasure of seeing the fruit. We found it quite equal to that sent 

 us by Mr. McLaughlin, and it has continued to sustain the highest rank 

 among the numerous sorts that have been introduced from abroad, or 

 have been raised by our cultivators at home. Specimens of the fruit 

 have been repeatedly exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society, by B. F. Nourse, Esq., of Bangor, both from his own and Mr. 

 McLaughlin's trees, and they have invariably proved excellent. 



From what variety the McLaughlin originated we have no knowledge, 

 nor are we aware that Mr. McLaughlin himself can tell. The tree 

 appears too vigorous to have been raised from the Green Gage, and we 

 should judge from the character of the wood, &c., that it might have 

 sprung from the Washington or Imperial Gage, accidentally fertilized 

 with the Green Gage, from which parent it probably derived its luscious 

 quahties. 



The McLaughlin is a very vigorous growing tree, quite equal in this 

 respect to the Washington, often making annual shoots six feet in 

 length ; when full grown it forms a round, spreading, regular apple-tree 



[47] 



