444 PLUMS. 



Early Tours. Hitt. p. 348. 



Branches downy. Fruit below the middle size, 

 oval, about one inch and a quarter deep, and an inch in 

 diameter. Stalk half an inch long. Skin deep purple, 

 covered with a thick blue bloom. Flesh brownish yellow, 

 with a few red streaks near the stone, from which it 

 separates. Juice sweet, with an agreeable flavour. 



Ripe on a south wall the end of July. 



8. PRUNE DAMSON. Nursery Catalogues. 



Branches downy. Fruit of the smallest size among 

 Plums, oval, two inches and three quarters longitudinal 

 circumference. Stalk half an inch long. Skin dark 

 blue, covered with a thick pale blue bloom. Flesh 

 green, adhering to the stone. Juice smart, but not 

 rich. 



Ripe in the middle of September. 



There are several sorts of Damson with black fruit 

 cultivated in England ; such as the Common Black, 

 with smooth spiny branches ; Royal Damson, similar 

 to the Prune Damson, but said to be larger ; and the 

 Shropshire Damson, with smooth branches, but not 

 spiny. These are much alike in figure, but they differ 

 a little in size, and possess different degrees of merit. 

 This latter quality, however, depends upon the manner in 

 which the tree has been propagated ; the soil and situ- 

 ation in which it grows ; and the health and vigour of 

 the tree itself. Damsons raised from suckers, and 

 planted in hedge-rows, or grown among nut-bushes, or 

 crowded among and under other trees, can never be ex- 

 pected to produce such fine, thick-fleshed, high-flavoured 

 fruit, as those which are grown upon sound healthy 

 standards, in proper situations, unincumbered with coarse 

 strong-growing trees. 



9. VIOLETTE HATIVE. Nursery Catalogues. 



Violet. Langley, p. 92. Hort. Soc. Cat. No. 262. 



Early Violet. Ib., No. 263. 



