54 An Account of a New Variety of Plum, 



culated for being long preserved : but I thought that a Plum of 

 firmer and more abundant flesh must be, for many different reasons, 

 preferable. I, in consequence, raised many plants obtained from 

 the seeds of the Purple Imperatrice, and pollen of Coe's Golden 

 Drop Plum, several of which have since afforded fruit of con- 

 siderable merit, and of which one appears capable of being very 

 long preserved, without material trouble. A sample of this variety 

 (No. 6) was sent to this Society three years ago, and it is figured 

 in a plate with five other varieties in our Transactions, and recom- 

 mended as deserving culture. In the autumns of 1829 and 1830, 

 I selected a few Plums of this variety, and, having folded them in 

 blotting paper, I put them into a paper bag, and suspended them 

 in my apple chamber ; through which, except in very cold weather, 

 a free current of air always passes. In this situation all of them 

 remained perfectly sound till the end of February, or beginning of 

 March, gradually, but slowly becoming more shrivelled, and ulti- 

 mately still retaining a good deal of juice : and I entertain scarcely 

 any doubt but that with the aid of closed jars, I could have pre- 

 served them till Midsummer, or longer. 



Respecting the taste and flavour of the fruit above mentioned, I 

 would rather that the public should trust to the opinion of those 

 gentlemen who tasted that sent to the Society, than to mine : but 

 as I have had much more ample opportunities of estimating its 

 merits than they have, I will add what will, I believe, be found an 

 accurate description of it. It is, in bulk, a size larger than the 

 purple Imperatrice, when grown in the same situation and soil; 

 and I think it contains a good deal more saccharine matter, with 

 more acid than that variety ; and with more flavour and some de- 

 gree of astringency, to which it may possibly owe, in some degree, 

 its power of remaining so long sound. Its colour is nearly that of 

 the purple Imperatrice, but a little darker. 



The original standard tree grows with extraordinary vigour and 



