THIS SECOND EDITION IS DEDICATED 



TO THE MEMORY OF 



WALTER MARTIN, 



1828-1919, 



as raiser of the valuabh plum named by him Martin's Seedling or 

 Persiiore Purple, but which in fruit catalogues has been called the 

 ^'Purple Egg Plum." On one of the Manor Cottages, No Gains, 

 Pershore, where he lived, a Blue Diamond plum still grows. A flower 

 of this tree was pollinated by Martin with pollen from Rivers' Early 

 Prolific plum. He sowed the seed in a flower pot. In 1877 he moved 

 to Broughton, 2 or 3 miles from Pershore, where he had rented 

 10 acres of woodland (Caddicroft), which he gradually grubbed. Here 

 he planted his little tree. He grew fruit and vegetables for market. 

 He took great interest in raising apples and plums from their seeds, 

 and watched what their fruits were like, but the Pershore Purple was 

 the best fruit tree he raised. He propagated it by suckers and grafting. 

 It is a first-rate commercial plum, spreading over the country as its 

 value becomes kaovrn ; it is also a good stock for other plums. He 

 cultivated his small holding up to 1900. The land now belongs to 

 Mr. Charles Watkins. The original tree is still in the hedge. In the 

 garden of the old toll-house where he lived (and where his grandson 

 now lives) may be seen other apple and plum trees that he raised 

 from seed which are of interest. Like many benefactors to the human 

 race he did not become rich, but was of a happy disposition and 

 coLtented. In March, 1919, when 91 years old, he was busy digging 

 up plum suckers the day previous to his death. The inhabitants of 

 Pershore some fifteen years previously presented him with a new 

 tricycle when his old one, on which he had for many years brought his 

 produce to Pershore Market, wore out. 



