98 



PLUMS. 



tleman in his neighbourhood, and to that garden it was said 

 to have been introduced from some foreign country. We have 

 in vain sought to trace it in the writings of foreign pomologi- 

 cal authors ; and we therefore figure it for the sake of making 

 it known through the means of this publication. A plum as 

 hardy and prolific as the Orleans, as handsome as the Damask, 

 and as good as the Green Gage, cannot be too extensively cul- 

 tivated ; it ripens in the beginning of September ; wood very 

 like that of the Red Magnum Bonum ; flowers resembling 

 those of the Reine Claude Violette, which, however, this is 

 not ; leaves like those of the Green Gage ; fruit large, round- 

 ish oval, rather broadest at the base ; suture slightly de- 

 pressed ; stalk three quarters of an inch long, very little sunk 

 at its point of insertion ; apex not depressed ; skin covered with 

 a close, firm, copious, azure bloom, through which appear a 

 few golden specks : this bloom is extremely remarkable, and 

 does not readily rub ofi* ; flesh greenish yellow, firm, juicy, 

 and rich ; stone middle-sized, irregularly and broadly oval, 

 flattened, with a groove or channel along one face. The ac- 

 companying figure was taken from a specimen grown on a wall. 

 There is another plum in cultivation about London like this, 

 purple, a great bearer, and also called Kirke's, but it is of 

 very inferior quality. Purchasers will do well to bear this in 

 mind." 



ELFREY. Pr. cat. Coxe. Lond. Hort. cat. 

 Elfreth's prune. Elfrey^s prune. 



This tree is of very vigorous growth, the foliage is luxu- 

 riant and glossy, and has a particularly flourishing appear- 

 ance ; the fruit is about an inch and three-eighths in length, 

 and an inch in diameter ; the skin is blue ; the flesh of a green- 

 ish colour, firm, rich, somewhat dry and of a pleasant flavour ; 

 the fruit frequently splits open when fully ripe. This plum is 

 much admired and ripens in August ; the tree is exceedingly 

 productive. There appear to be two distinct varieties culti- 

 vated in gardens under the name of the present one. 



