206 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



I should never recommend many varieties being grown for 

 market ; a few really sterling kinds that will give a good return 

 yearly are what is wanted. Victoria and Early Prolific are 

 typical varieties, and of these sorts it is hardly possible for a 

 market gardener to have too many trees. 



Cox's Emperor is a useful and fine large round Plum. 

 Prince Engelbert is large, oval, and dark purple in colour, of 

 excellent quality, and the tree is a great bearer. Diamond, a 

 large oval purple Plum, is a good bearer and one of the best 

 cooking Plums grown. Mitchelson is a medium-sized oval 

 Plum. The tree is upright in its growth and very free. It is a 

 good Plum for cooking or preserving. Sultan, another of Mr. 

 Kivers' magnificent seedlings, is deep red and very produc- 

 tive. The Czar we also owe to Mr. Eivers. It is a very large 

 and early variety, of a good rich flavour. The tree is very hardy 

 and robust in growth, and the fruit is not so liable to crack 

 as is the Early Orleans. 



It is needless to name more varieties, as so much depends 

 upon the soil and situation, and those named will, I think, be 

 found the best, taking all points into consideration. 



The best manure to use for Plums will, of course, depend 

 somewhat on the nature of the soil. Surface dressing is the best 

 mode of assisting the trees. Feeding poultry, sheep, and calves 

 under the trees in orchards laid down in grass is an excellent 

 plan, but where the soil is arable yearly dressings on the surface 

 should be given of good rich manure, and, if there is no chalk 

 naturally in the soil, lime may be used with advantage. 



Avoid as much as possible disturbing the roots. As a rule 

 the firmer the ground round the trees the better they bear — that 

 is if plenty of food is given them by annual applications of 

 manure. No class of trees should ever be allowed to become a 

 thicket of small twiggy shoots. These can never produce good 

 results, and if the trees show any tendency to produce such a 

 thicket of small shoots cut them all out with a sharp knife. En- 

 courage the strong healthy shoots by allowing them plenty of 

 room for the sun and air to act upon them, and they are sure 

 to produce good fruit if all other details are properly attended to. 



Next in importance to the growing of the fruit is knowing the 

 best means of gathering it and packing it so as to secure the best 

 price in the market. The plan of placing a layer of poor fruit at the 



