PLUMS AND DAMSONS. 



159 



Largely cultivated in the Evesham district for the mar- 

 kets of Birmingham and other large towns. 



Pond's Seedling (fig. 957). — Culinary. Mid-September. 

 Fruit very large, handsome, oval, dark-red speckled with 

 gray, with a thin bluish bloom; flesh amber, juicy, with a 

 brisk flavour. A valuable kitchen Plum, much grown 

 for market A hardy and prolific variety in the open. 



Primate (fig. 958). 

 — Culinary. Late Octo- 

 ber. Fruit large, pur- 

 plish-red, with thin 

 bloom ; flesh sweet, 

 juicy, parting from 

 the stone. The fruit 

 hangs well after at- 

 taining maturity. A 

 new variety of excel- 

 lent quality. 



Prince Englebert. — 

 Dessert and culinary. 

 Late August-Septem- 

 ber. Fruit very large 

 and oval, deep -purple, 

 with minute reddish 

 dots and a dense-gray 

 bloom ; flesh yellow, 

 juicy, rich, and sweet. 

 A hardy variety, very 

 prolific when grown as 

 a standard. 



Prince of Wales. — 

 Culinary. Late Au- 

 gust-September. Fruit resembling Orleans, but differs 

 in having smooth instead of downy shoots. The tree is 

 vigorous and a great bearer, but so tender and liable to 



Fig. 957.— Plum. Pond's Seedlins 



Fig. 958.— Plum. Primate (Rivers'). 



die off in an unaccountable manner that it is not grown 

 so extensively now as formerly. 



Red Magnum Bonurn (Red Egg Plum, Red Imperial). 

 —Culinary. Mid-September. Fruit large, oval, distinctly 

 sutured, of irregular shape, deep-red, paler where shaded, 



with small brown dots and thin bloom; flesh greenish, 

 firm, juicy, and agreeably flavoured. Tree hardy, and a 

 great bearer either as a standard or bush. 



Peine Claude de Bavay (Monstreuse de Bavay, St. 

 Claire). — Dessert. Late September - October. Fruit 

 large, roundish, greenish-yellow, with a thin white bloom; 

 flesh yellow, very juicy, rich, and sugary, of delicious 

 flavour, separating from the stone. A valuable late Gage 

 of first-rate quality. Should be grown on a wall. 



Reine Claude Violette (Purple Gage, Violet Gage). — 

 Dessert. Early September. Fruit medium, roundish, 

 violet-purple with yellow dots, and a light bloom; flesh 

 firm, greenish-amber, parting from the stone, sugary, rich, 

 and excellent. Will keep in dry favourable seasons till 

 October. The tree is a good bearer as a standard, and 

 it deserves a place against a wall. It is also a good 

 variety for orchard-house culture. 



Royal Hative (Miriam). — Dessert. Early August. 

 Fruit medium, roundish, purple, netted with yellowish- 

 brown; flesh yellowish, parting from the stone, sugary, 

 rich, and delicious. Wasps and flies attack it in pre- 

 ference to other sorts. The tree is a good bearer, and 

 should be in all large collections, on account of the great 

 excellence and earliness of the fruit. 



Sultan. — Culinary. Mid-August. Fruit medium to 

 large, round, deep-red, with a thick bloom ; flesh greenish- 

 yellow, juicy, agreeably flavoured. Tree a strong grower, 

 bearing freely; considered to be an improved Prince of 

 Wales. Raised by Mr. Rivers. 



, Transparent Gage. — Dessert. September. Fruit large, 

 round, flattened, slightly sutured, pale-yellow, mottled 

 with red; flesh yellowish, transparent, juicy, rich, and 

 luscious. Fine for orchard-house culture. 



Washington. — Dessert. Fruit very large, roundish- 

 oval, dull -yellow, obscurely streaked with pale -green, 

 flushed with red when well exposed to the sun; flesh 

 yellow, parting freely from the stone, sweet and luscious. 

 The tree is a shy bearer when young, but bears abun- 

 dantly when older either as a standard or against a wall. 

 The branches should be allowed plenty of space, so that 

 the broad foliage can be exposed to the light. Raised 

 in 1818 near New York. Also known as Bolmar, Frank- 

 lin, Bolmar's Washington. 



White Magnum Bonum. — Culinary. September. Fruit 

 large, oval, yellow, with a thin whitish bloom; flesh firm, 

 adhering to the stone, pale-yellow, juicy, crisp, not rich. 

 This large handsome fruit is excellent for sweetmeats and 

 preserving whole. Tree vigorous, and bearing freely both 

 in standard and bush form. Also known as Yellow Mag- 

 num Bonum, Egg Plum, White Holland, Wentworth, 

 Dame Auber, Dame Auber Blanche, Dame Auber Blanche 

 Grosse Luisante, Imperiale Blanche. 



Wine Sour (Rotherham). — Culinary. Mid-September. 

 Fruit slightly larger than a Damson, obovate, purple; 

 flesh greenish-yellow tinged with red, juicy and subacid. 

 Excellent for jam. Tree a good bearer. 



Wyedale. — Culinary. Late October. Fruit small, 

 oval, purple, coated with a blue bloom; flesh greenish- 

 yellow, juicy, briskly flavoured. Hangs for a long time 

 on the tree in good condition. Tree a great bearer, either 

 against a wall or in the open as a bush or standard. A 

 famous old Yorkshire Plum. 



List of twenty-four first-rate Dessert Plums. 



Angelina Burdett, Bonne Bouche, Boulouf. Biyanston 

 Gage, Coe's Golden Drop, Count Althem's Gage, Denni- 

 ston's Superb, Early Transparent, Golden Transparent, 



