532 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



to the stone, which itself bears a striking re- 

 semblance to that of an apricot ; juicy, rich in 

 flavour ; ripe in September ; an excellent dessert 

 plum. Tree hardy, and bearing abundantly as a 

 standard. 



Guthrie s minette plum. — In size much the 

 same as the last ; colour yellowish green on the 

 shaded side, marked with irregular dashes and 

 spots of russety red ; form somewhat oblique ; 

 stone moderate in size; flesh firm, juicy, and of 

 excellent flavour. An excellent hardy plum ; 

 ripe in September. 



Guthrie' s Tay Bank plum. — 4 \ inches in 

 greatest circumference ; form ovate ; colour 

 greenish yellow, with slight spots of russety red 

 scattered over the sunny side ; flesh juicy ; 

 flavour approaching the Green gage, which we 

 would suppose to be one of the parents. Through 

 the kindness of Mr Guthrie we were favoured 

 with specimens of this plum two years ago, and 

 consider that the fruit is in progress of im- 

 provement since that time. This excellent 

 fruit has been awarded the C. H. S. silver medal. 

 A very valuable fruit for the climate of Scot- 

 land ; ripe also in September. 



Guthrie's topaz. — Another of Mr Guthrie's 

 seedlings, but one we have not seen in perfec- 

 tion, the specimen sent being injured in the 

 carriage. It is thus described by Mr Rivers of 

 Sawbridgeworth, who is growing it for sale : 

 " Size first ; quality first ; use, table ; season, 

 October; colour green; inclined to shrivel on 

 the tree." 



Imperatrice, Downton, vide Downton impera- 

 trice. 



Imperatrice, Ickworth. — Size rather under 

 medium; colour purple ; form obovate; flesh 

 greenish yellow, sweet and rich, adhering to the 

 stone ; branches smooth ; ripe in September ; 

 hangs long on the tree if protected from autum- 

 nal frosts, and if wrapped in soft paper will keep 

 several weeks in the fruit-room — a property 

 all this class possess, rendering them, with 

 Coe's golden drop and the Reine Claude de Bavay, 

 the most valuable of all late plums. Raised 

 by Mr Knight, and a hybrid between the Blue 

 imperatrice and Coe's golden drop. 



Imperatrice blue, vide Blue imperatrice. 



Imperatrice white. — Size rather under medium ; 

 form obovate ; colour white ; ripe in Septem- 

 ber ; branches smooth ; equally valuable for the 

 table and preserving. 



Jaune hdtive. — Only worth cultivating on 

 account of its earliness ; ripening about the 

 middle of July if planted against a wall, and 

 thus ushering in the plum season. Synonyms 

 — Catafonian, Amber Primordian, White Primor- 

 dian, Early yellow, Sainte Barnabe. 



Jefferson. — Size very large ; colour golden 

 yellow, purplish on the side next the sun; form 

 oval ; flesh deep orange, parting freely from the 

 stone ; flavour exceedingly high and luscious ; 

 branches slightly downy ; ripe in September ; 

 will hang ten days on the tree ; suture slightly 

 marked. This is a comparatively new and a 

 very highly esteemed American fruit. Tree 

 hardy, and an abundant bearer. This is pro- 

 bably the best of all American plums, and only 

 surpassed with us by the Green gage, Angelina 



Burdett, and Woolston's blade gage. It should 

 find a place in every garden. It will require 

 a wall in most parts of Scotland to ripen it in 

 perfection. 



Kirk's— Size above medium ; form round ; 

 colour dark purple ; flesh firm and very rich ; 

 ripe in September ; branches smooth. Tree 

 hardy, and an excellent bearer. The history 

 of this excellent plum is not very well known. 

 The late Mr Kirk of Brompton detected the fruit 

 as being new to him on a fruit-stall in London, 

 and after much search obtained grafts of it, which 

 he propagated and sold extensively. An excel- 

 lent sort for dwarf-standard culture. 



Laurence s favourite. — Size large; form round; 

 colour yellowish green, slightly clouded with a 

 darker shade ; ripe end of August ; flesh resem- 

 bling the Green gage, and nearly approaching it 

 in flavour ; when ripe parting freely from the 

 stone. A ' remarkably handsome and excellent 

 fruit. Branches downy. Of American origin, 

 from a stone of the Green gage. In general 

 appearance a Green gage, only two or three 

 times as large. Synonym — Laurences gage. 



Lucombe's nonsuch. — Size above medium ; 

 form roundish ; colour somewhat resembling 

 the Green gage, only more distinctly marked 

 with a yellow orange tinge ; flesh rich, sweet, 

 adhering to the stone; ripe in September. Tree 

 hardy, and an excellent bearer. Originated in 

 the highly respectable establishment of Lu- 

 combe and Pince of Exeter. Branches smooth. 

 Lucombe's seedling of Thompson is probably a 

 synonym of this excellent plum. 



Magnum, bonum, red — Magnum bonum, white. 

 — Two plums sufficiently well known to require 

 no description, further than to enumerate their 

 synonyms, with a view to prevent imposition 

 and confusion. Synonyms of the former — Im- 

 perial e, Red imperial, Florence, Purple egg, 

 Purple magnum bor.um. Synonyms of the 

 latter — Yellow magnum bonum, White mogul, 

 Wentworth, White Holland, Egg plum. Both 

 valuable for preserving. The latter, when fully 

 ripened, of pleasant flavour. Downing remarks 

 that the Red magnum bonum has frequently 

 been prodiiced from seed on the North Eiver 

 with little difference of character, except that 

 some were clingstones and others freestones. 



Morocco. — Size medium ; form roundish ; 

 colour very dark purple ; flesh yellowish green, 

 adhering partially to the stone ; flavour rich, 

 becoming very sweet when fully ripened ; 

 branches downy. Tree hardy, a moderate 

 Dearer ; ripe beginning of August. Synonyms 

 — Early damask, Black damask, Black morocco, 

 Early morocco, Early black morocco. 



Orange. — Size very large; form ovate; colour 

 bronzy yellow, with many roughish white dots, 

 slightly purplish towards the fruit stalk ; ripens 

 about the 1 st of September ; branches smooth ; 

 flesh deep yellow, rather coarse-grained, adher- 

 ing to the stone. This is recommended only on 

 account of its large size, being probably the 

 largest of all plums, and its fitness for market 

 or culinary purposes. Tree hardy, and a great 

 bearer. Of American origin. Synonym — 

 Orange gage. 



Orleans. — This popular culinary plum has 



