THE COUNTRY HOME [CHAPTER 
only moderate. Bradshaw is very early, large, 
prolific, and valuable for home purposes. ‘Two 
fine late sorts are Reine Claude, and Grand Duke, 
the first much like a large Green Gage, and the lat- 
ter a very large purple plum, of good quality. 
Monarch is a noble plum every way — in quality, 
size and cropping; I hardly think you should under- 
take to get along without it. Of yellow plums, by 
all odds the finest that I have seen is Peter’s Yellow 
Gage, while the common Yellow Gage is an infe- 
rior variety — although large and productive. 
Of the newer productions from cross-breeding, 
we have Burbank —a straggling grower, but load- 
ed with beautiful golden plums touched with scar- 
let. However full the limbs may be loaded, the 
fruit never rots on the tree. Red June is a hand- 
some, very early, purple plum, of excellent quality. 
Wickson is a noble plum every way, except that the 
tree grows very upright and compact, so as to seri- 
ously interfere with the production of choice fruit 
—unless the top is kept open by annual trimming. 
But now I am entering that enchanted land where 
Mr. Burbank, “The Wizard,” is working; and 
just to name his new varieties would fill a page. 
Of the best are Gold, Gonzales, Chabot, Shiro, 
[132] 
