33 



THE IMPERATRICE PLUM. 



Imperatrice. Millei's Diet. no. 25. Hook. Pom. Lond. 



no. 4. Hort. Soc. Fruit Cat. no. 34. 

 Imperatrice Violette. Duham. Arb. Fr. ii. p. 105, tab. 116. 



Well known as one of the best of our Plums 

 for keeping till late in the season. Its usual period 

 of ripening is October, when it begins to shrivel, 

 and will then keep, if well managed, till the middle 

 of December, its flavour continuing to improve. 



It requires to be cultivated on an east or west 

 wall, when it is a great and certain bearer. 



Some doubt has been expressed of the identity 

 of our English Imperatrice and that of Duhamel ; 

 but we see no reason to believe that they are 

 different. 



Branches long and slender, with blunt, flattened 

 eyes, and very smooth bark ; the lateral shoots are 

 produced at nearly right angles with the main 

 shoots. 



Leaves middle-sized, pointed at each end, 

 finely toothed, closely downy. 



Flowers small. 



Fruit oblong, blunt at each end, but tapering 

 rather more to the base than to the apex. Footsta lk 



VOL. I. K 



