PLUMS. 537 



towards the stalk. Skin, thin, black when quite ripe, covered with 

 markings of russet and russet dots, and a fine bright blue bloom. Stalk, 

 half an inch long. Flesh, yellow, tender, richly flavoured and sweet, 

 separating from the stone. 



A first-rate late plum, which hangs till the middle of November in 

 perfect condition. Shoots, smooth. 



BINGHAM. — Fruit, large and handsomely shaped ; oblong. Skin, 

 deep yellow, and somewhat spotted, with bright red next the sun. 

 Stalk, slightly mserted. Flesh, yellow, juicy, rich, and deUcious, ad- 

 hering to the stone. 



An excellent dessert plum; ripe in the middle of September. It 

 is of American origin, and does not acquire its full richness of flavour 

 in this country when grown as a standard, but is much improved 

 against a south-east or south-west wall. The young shoots are downy, 

 and the tree is an excellent bearer. It originated in Pennsylvania. 



Black Damask. See Morocco. 



Black Morocco. See Morocco. 



Black Perdrigon. See Blue Gage. 



Bleeker's Gage. See BUeker's Yellow. 



Bleeker's Scarlet. See Lombard. 



BLEEKER'S YELLOW (Bleeker's Yellow Oage : Bleeker's Gage ; 

 German Gage). — ^Fruit, medium sized ; roundish oval, suture obscure. 

 Skin, yellow, with numerous imbedded white specks, and covered with 

 thin white bloom. Stalk, downy, an inch and a quarter long, and 

 attached without depression. Flesh, yellow, rich, sweet and luscious, 

 separating from the stone. 



A dehcious dessert plum ; ripe in the middle of September. The 

 young shoots are downy, and the tree is hardy, and an excellent 

 bearer. 



It was raised about the year 1805 by Mrs. Bleeker, of Albany, U.S., from a 

 stone of a German prane which had been imported from Germany. 



Bleeker's Yellow Gage. See Bleeker's Yellow. 



Bleu de Belgique. See Belgian Purple. 



Blue Gage. See Early Blue. 



BLUE IMPERATRICE (Imperatrice ; Imperatrice Violette ; Empress). 

 — Fruit, medium sized ; obovate, tapering considerably towards the stalk 

 so as to form a neck, with a shallow suture on one side. Skin, deep 

 purple, covered with a thick blue bloom. Stalk, about an inch long, and 

 attached without depression. Flesh, greenish yellow, the yellow pre- 

 dominating on the side exposed to the sun, of a rich, sugary flavour, 

 and adhering to the stone. 



A first-rate plum ; not so juicy as some other varieties, but excellent 

 either for dessert or preserving. Eipe in October, and if allowed to 



