1908.] Time of Blossoming of Fruit Trees. 68 r 



Cherries— Cherries were in flower from about 22nd April 

 to 20th May. The first ripe cherries were picked on 27th June, 

 nine or ten weeks after flowering. The crop was generally good. 



Plums. — Flowering in plums occurs before the leaves unfurl, 

 the leaves opening whilst flowering is in progress. The Japanese 

 plums, Burbank and Abundance, were the first to flower, 

 commencing on 15th April ; they were in full flower on 24th April, 

 and all petals were withered or fallen by the 19th May, making 

 altogether thirty-five days in bloom. On the nights of 23rd, 

 24th, and 25th April there was frost, which apparently led to 

 a light crop on these varieties. 



The ordinary European plums (Prunus domestica) just 

 missed the frost that damaged the Japanese. Monarchs 

 commenced to flower on 27th April and continued in flower till 

 20th May (twenty-four days). Other varieties flowered as 

 follows : — Black Diamonds (19 days), Jefferson (17 days), on 

 1st May; River's Early Prolific (12 days), Sultan (16 days) 

 and Czar (17 days), on 4th May ; Victoria (15 days), Coe's 

 Golden Drop, Prince Engelbert, Golden Gage and Pond's 

 Seedling on 5th May. All these plums would be in flower at 

 the same time during part of the period, those flowering first 

 and last having less chance of fertilisation, and those with 

 the longest period having probably the best chance. Most 

 of these European varieties were in flower about seven- 

 teen days from commencement of flowering to petals being 

 withered or fallen. Rivers' Early Prolific was the shortest 

 length of time in flower, namely eleven days, whilst Monarch 

 was the longest, viz., twenty-four days. It appears probable 

 that plums with a long flowering period are the most regular 

 bearers. I believe this is found to be the case with the Pershore 

 plum in Worcestershire. 



The following is a typical history of the flowering of a plum 

 this year : — 2nd May, commenced flowering ; 7th May, full 

 bloom ; 9th May, some petals fallen ; 13th May, three-quarters 

 petals fallen ; 18th May, almost all petals fallen — making 

 seventeen days from start to finish of blossoming. 'Coe's 

 Golden Drop has a large flower, and unlike other varieties of 

 plums some of the filaments of the stamens are pink. 



The only damson of which I got a full record was Bradley's 

 King of Damsons, which commenced to flower on 2nd May, was 

 (45 1 1) 2 x 



