376 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



neighbourhood of large towns where the sale of fresh plums is certain. In the 

 vicinity of Paris the chief districts are Argenteuil, Sannois, Epinay, Raincy, 



Rosny-sous-Bois, the valley of the Bicore, &c. 

 The east of France furnishes prunes and mira- 

 belles. In Tourraine and the region of Agen 

 prunes are grown in great quantities. 



Pruning. — The fruit is borne upon branches 

 and twigs of one year's growth. This must be 

 remembered in pruning, and care taken not to 

 destroy fruit-buds when cutting the shoots ; cut 

 to a " wood "-bud, always more pointed than a 

 " flower "-bud. The disbudding and pinching 

 should be moderate. In training the shoots must 

 be taken in good time and handled with care, for 

 they are very brittle. 



The Best Varieties 



Bonne DE Bry. — Fertile ; fruit small, spherical ; 

 Shoot of Plum Tkee in Fkuit ^falk short, in narrow, slight cavity ; skin reddish black ; 



flesh greenish ; end of July. 



Coe's Golden Drop (Goutte d'Or de Coe).— Very fertile ; fruit large, elongated, 

 oval, with a marked furrow ; stalk long, slender, narrow cavity ; skin golden yellow, 

 tinged with red ; Jiesh yellow ; end of September, October. 



D'Agen (D'Ente). — Very fertile ; fruit elongated, ovoid, with pronounced furrow ; 

 stalk rather long, in narrow, deep cavity ; skin violet pink, plum-coloured, or bluish ; 

 beginning of September. 



De Montfort. — Fertile ; fruit rather large, long, ovate ; stalk rather thick, deep 

 cavity ; skin dark violet, slightly tawny ; flesh greenish yellow ; mid-August. 



Jefferson. — Very fertile ; fruit large, round, with large shallow furrow ; skin 

 greenish yellow, rose-coloured on the sunny side ; flesh greenish ; end of August, 

 September. 



Kirke'S. — Fertile ; fruit large, spherical, large shallow furrow ; stalk rather long, 

 in deep cavity ; skin violet purple, or whitish plum colour ; flesh greenish yellow ; 

 September. 



MiRABELLE Grosse DE N.\NCY. — Moderately fertile ; fruit medium size, spherical, 

 broad shallow furrow ; stalk rather short, slender, in narrow, deep, regular cavity ; skin 

 yellow, marbled with pure rose ; end of August, September. 



MiRABELLE PETITE DE Metz. — Very fertile ; yVwzV small, or very small, rounded- 

 ovoid, broad, well-marked furrow ; stalk slender, in narrow, slight cavity ; skin golden 

 yellow, marbled with amaranth red ; flesh yellow ; August. 



Monsieur HAtif. — Very fertile ; y>-K;V medium sized, rounded, with shallow furrow ; 

 stalk rather short, in narrow cavity; skin intense purple, tinged with yellow; flesh 

 yellowish green ; beginning of August. 



Monsieur i Fruit Jaune.— Moderately fertile ; fruit medium, or rather large, 

 rounded-ovoid ; stalk medium, in regular cavity ; skin yellow, speckled with gold, and 

 striped with carmine red ; flesh yellow ; mid-August. 



Quetsche D'Allemagne (Altesse-Ordinaire). — Very fertile ; fruit medium, or 

 rather large ovoid, or regular elliptical ; stalk thick, rather long, without cavity ; skin 

 violet purple, plum-coloured ; flesh yellow green. Prune. September. 



Quetsche d'Italie. — Very {evtile ; fruit medium, or rather large, long-ovoid; 

 stalk thick, long, in narrow, rather deep cavity; skin violet, and whitish plum-coloured. 

 Prune. End of September. 



Reine Claude d'Althann.— Very fertile ; fruit large, spherical, broad, slight 



