PLUMS. 



91 



in 1819, by Mr. William Morgan, at that time gardener to 

 Mr. Browne. 



" The original tree was trained to a wall, with an eastern 

 aspect, where it bears regularly and abundantly. The fruit 

 is large and handsome, of a rich reddish purple colour, in size 

 and figure approaching the Magnum Bonum, but more sphe- 

 rical. It is a pleasant dessert plum, but its great excellence is 

 as a pie-fruit. It melts perfectly when baked, and possesses 

 that just proportion of acidity and sweetness which is so essen- 

 tial to the confectioner, and so rarely to be found. The tree 

 succeeds well as an open standard. 



There is a variety cultivated near Manchester, under the 

 name of the Imperial Diadem plum, that apparently is in no 

 respect different from this, with which it agrees in wood, foli- 

 age, period of maturity, size, colour, and quality. The origin 

 of the Imperial Diadem is, however, probably not the same as 

 that of the Mimm's plum, which suggests the possibility of 

 some difference that has not yet been detected, for which rea- 

 son the two are not actually combined in this place. 



Wood wiry, smooth, dull brownish purple, with short 

 joints, the lower part of the young shoots is thickly covered 

 with brown specks ; the buds are dull blackish gray ; leaves 

 oblong, quite flat, obtuse, rather unequally crenated, smooth 

 on the upper surface, pubescent on the under surface and peti- 

 ole ; glands two, globose, minute at the base of the leaf ; 

 flowers, rather early, above the ordinary size ; fruit, oblong, 

 with an oblique apex, and broad shallow suture, of the very 

 largest size among plums, of a light clear purple colour, upon 

 a greenish ground, which is fully exposed on the shaded side 

 of fruit produced upon walls ; bloom copious, easily rubbed 

 off; skin thickish, a little marked with brownish specks ; 

 flesh pale dull greenish yellow, tender, juicy, and very agree- 

 ably flavoured, like an Orleans plum in perfection ; stone 

 separating freely, very rugged, with a thin, irregular edge ; 

 stalk pubescent." 



