382 Account of a New Variety of Plum. 



the seedling offspring of the Magnum Bonum Plum : but I 

 did not think such a skin objectionable, on account of its be- 

 neficial operation in defending the flesh both from weather 

 and insects : and the merits of a large Plum, such as Coe's 

 Golden Drop, when it has hung to shrivel upon the tree, are 

 not much diminished by the strength of the skin. The Plum 

 you receive is in many respects such as I hoped to obtain : 

 and it appears capable of retaining its soundness very long, 

 under proper management ; though its skin is extremely thin 

 and delicate. 



I have every reason to believe, that the variety will prove 

 exuberantly productive ; for all the blossoms of the seedling 

 tree set, and the crop was so great, that I gave the gardener 

 orders to cut off at least three fourths of it ; and the blossoms 

 of the next spring will be extremely profuse. I do not enter- 

 tain any doubt of the fruit being produced abundantly by 

 standard trees ; and I think it will afford an excellent con- 

 serve, its pulp possessing a degree of firmness, though it is very 

 succulent, and its skin being free from any unpleasant taste. 



The first fruit of every young seedling tree being of much 

 smaller size, than either it, or the grafts taken from it, will sub- 

 sequently produce, you will consider the sample sent as very 

 imperfect. I believe the future fruit will acquire double 

 the weight of that you receive. Its juice will also become 

 much more saccharine ; and the fruit, I conclude, will in con- 

 sequence be capable of being longer preserved. 



I remain, 

 my dear Sir, sincerely your s, 



Thomas Andrew Knight. 



Downton, near Ludlow, 

 December J, 1823. 



