74 



PLUMS. 



five lines long ; the skin is a whitish green, with considerable 

 bloom ; the flesh is of a pale greenish hue, very melting, and 

 exceeding juicy, sweet, and pleasant; the stone cannot be 

 separated from the flesh without tearing it, and in such case 

 that part nearest to it continues to adhere ; it is eight and a 

 half lines long, seven broad, and quite smooth. This plum 

 ripens at the beginning of September, and is a fine fruit* 



RED VIRGINAL. Auth. 



Virginal Rouge. N. Duh. Lend. Hort. cat. 



This fruit is fifteen to sixteen lines in length, and fourteen 

 in diameter, the form being somewhat oval ; the skin is of a 

 reddish hue, and the colour is deepest next the sun ; the flesh 

 is yellow, and slightly acid. The fruit is at maturity the 

 beginning of August. 



RED ST. MARTIN. Pr. cat. 



St. Martin. Prunier de Saint Martin. N. Duh. 

 Saint Martin. Saint Martin Rouge. Lond. Hort. cat. 



The title given to this plum is no doubt derived from the 

 circumstance of its ripening so late in the season that the fruit 

 is often found upon the tree at St. Martin's day. It begins 

 to ripen, however, about the middle of October but as the 

 peduncles adhere strongly to the branches, the fruit does not 

 readily fall off" unless it is overtaken by the frosts. When the 

 autumn is warm, it is not a rare spectacle to see the trees of 

 this variety still loaded with fruit at the end of November, 

 even after they have lost their foliage. This plum is red 

 approaching a pale violet, and covered with bloom ; it is thir- 

 teen to fourteen lines in length, and of nearly equal diameter ; 

 its peduncle, which is eight to nine lines long, is inserted 

 within a shallow cavity ; the suture, which extends on one side 

 from the base to the extremity of the fruit, is but slightly appa- 

 rent; the flesh is yellowish, rather firm, somewhat melting, 

 and flavoured with a small degree of acidity ; the stone is 

 swollen on both sides, and does not adhere to the flesh. This 



