480 GENERAL REVIEW. 



grafting in the ordinary manner on common Plum or Myrobalan 

 stocks. Herbaceous cuttings inserted in a close shady frame in 

 June or July often succeed. 



Prunus obovalifolia is a seedling of Prunus spinosa, raised 

 by M. Carriere, and differing from the parent in being entirely 

 devoid of thorns, and having broadly oboval leaves and larger 

 flowers. The tree is very vigorous, with a remarkably straight 

 stem and spreading branches, covered with a red and very 

 shining bark. It first bore fruit in 1872, seven years from the 

 time of sowing. M. Carriere is of opinion that our garden 

 varieties of the Plum must have sprung from a stock similar 

 to this, the received notion being that our thornless Plum- 

 trees are merely one of the results of cultivation. 



Seedling Plums raised by Mr Rivers. 



Autumn Compote. Oval ; very large ; bright red and hand- 

 some ; abundant bearer ; ripens two or three weeks after Vic- 

 toria : a valuable late kitchen Plum. 



Blue Prolific. A culinary blue Plum; a profuse bearer. This 

 variety is distinct ; it has the property of hanging on the tree 

 during several weeks and being fit for use all the time : frequent 

 gatherings may be made from the beginning of August until the 

 second week in September. 



Early Favourite. Roundish oval ; medium size ; purple ; 

 juicy and very agreeable ; freestone ; requires a wall with S. 

 or S.W. aspect, and is then the earliest of all early Plums. 

 Middle of July. 



Early ' Rivers, or Early Prolific. Oval; purple; medium 

 size ; juicy and good ; freestone : this was raised from a stone 

 of the Precoce de Tours; hardy, and a prodigious bearer. End 

 of July. It is one of the heaviest Plums known, although not of 

 a large size. The bushel weighs from seventy to eighty pounds, 

 the weight of ordinary Plums being about sixty pounds to the 

 bushel. This density renders it the most valuable Plum for 

 preserving. As a preserve, or for cooking, it is unequalled in 

 flavour. 



Early Transparent Gage, or Early Apricot of Dr Hogg. A 

 seedling from the Transparent, of equal excellence ; ripens before 

 the Greengage ; a great bearer, and very hardy. The fruit is 

 produced in such profuse clusters, that thinning, as for Grapes, 

 must be practised. Middle to end of August. 



Late Prolific. This is a seedling from the Early Prolific, of 

 equal excellence, but ripening three weeks later, thus continu- 

 ing the season of one of the best cooking Plums. 



