i6o THE FRUIT GARDEN 



DAMSONS AND BULLACES 



Black Bullace. — Tree compact and twiggy ; fruit excellent when cooked. It may 

 hang on the tree until November. 



Shepherd's Bullace. — Tree of free growth ; fruit green and yellow, mottled with 

 snowy patches. The latest and best variety. October. 



Damson Bradley's King. — Tree spreading free growth, a profuse bearer; fruit 

 first-class in quality, and very sweet and rich. One of the best. 



Damson Cheshire or Shropshire (Michaelmas Damson, Prune Damson, Pruant 

 Plum). — This is a large late variety ; one of the last to be gathered. Cooks well when 

 fully ripe. The tree has large plum-like foliage, and is wide and spreading. 



Damson Frogmore Prolific. — Tree of very free growth, forming a large and 

 regular head ; fruit of large size, reddish black, very rich and sweet. Quite worthy of 

 the dessert, and splendid when cooked. 



Damson Farleigh Prolific (Cluster Damson).— Tree compact, thorny, and an 

 enormous bearer. The clusters of fruit are so crowded that they resemble bunches of 

 black grapes. Stone rather large for the size of the fruit. Hardy. 



Prune of Hereford. — Growth upright ; fruit oval, pointed at both ends. Bears 

 well in places, but does not find favour in the south. 



White Damson. — Tree upright and free-growing ; fruit oval; orange-yellow shaded 

 green or white. Rather larger than a black damson, and being in use in October is 

 valuable for cooking purposes. 



THE MYROBELLE (CHERRY PLUM). 



In the desire for novelty which now obtains in all gardens this neglected fruit 

 is often asked for. It is popularly called the cherry plum from its similarity in 

 form to the cherry. It forms a close twiggy standard tree, and bears nearly 

 every year ; but it is necessary that the wild stock (Myrobalan) be grafted 

 with scions of a good variety, otherwise failure may ensue. It flourishes by 

 the sea in the southern counties, but as it blossoms with the sloe or blackthorn, 

 is not suitable for situations exposed to early frosts. It may, however, be 

 grown in colder districts on walls as a trained tree, and is acceptable because 

 the fruits ripen early in August ; although they do not attain to dessert ex- 

 cellence they are admirable for tarts and stewing, California and Japan have 

 given us several varieties which we enumerate with remarks. 



Red Fruited. — Dull red pointed fruits. 



Yellow Fruited. — Similar to the above except in colour, which is a bright 

 canary yellow. 



BURBANK. — A Californian variety ; fruit large and pointed, rich red with russet, 

 and golden patches and dots. This new variety is a remarkable bearer ; as a pot plant 

 for the orchard house it is beautiful in flower, and the fruit hangs in clusters of three 

 to five, so that they must be well thinned. Very valuable for early tarts. The flavour 

 reminds one of the apricot. 



Masu. — Fruit nearly globular, bright red with golden dots ; flavour sweet and 

 excellent. A Japanese variety. 



BOTAN. — A very dark red Japanese variety, which bears freely. 



Pissardii. — This is grown in gardens for its rich claret coloured foliage and early 

 white flowers. We expect, however, as the trees age they will bear fruits ; these are 

 the same colour as the foliage. 



