210 JOURNAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which it is scarcely necessary to name, as all resemble the proto- 

 type more or less. 



Although the Gage Plums are certainly the best of dessert 

 Plums, some other kinds, which are classed under the head of 

 "'free Nectarines" in Dr. Hogg's "Fruit Manual," are worthy of the 

 palate of the connoisseur ; these separate freely from the stone and 

 are valuable and good sorts. In August the De Montfort is one 

 of the earliest of this class, and in September Kirke's Plum and 

 Angelina Burdett are rich and good. Golden Esperen, classed 

 among the "free Imperials " in the "Fruit Manual," is an exceed- 

 ingly good Plum. The Jefferson, a "cling Imperial," is justly 

 popular and well known for its excellent quality. Decaisne, a 

 Plum of apparently the same class, will probably take high rank 

 some day ; in warm seasons I have found it a very good Plum. 



Amongst recent Plums, The Czar, which I have been fortunate 

 enough to raise from seed, is a very delicate-flavoured dessert 

 Plum when grown on a wall ; it ripens early in August, and is a 

 most abundant bearer. The Mallard is an early August Plun^ 

 very large, with rich and juicy flesh. The Grand Duke, a very 

 large purple Plum, ripening after Coe's Golden Drop, is a wall 

 Plum of very fine flavour, and when grown under glass in pots 

 will hang for a long time. Since the introduction of the orchard- 

 house I have been astonished at the facile manner in which the 

 Plum lends itself to pot culture. No fruit is more easily grown in 

 pots. Apparently shy-bearing sorts like the Transparent Gage 

 become miracles of fertility in pots placed under glass during the 

 period of blooming, and kept there until the incoming warmth of 

 summer has in some degree moderated the severity of our English 

 springs. They may then be removed to an open border, or, if 

 birds are troublesome, they may be placed under a structure of 

 wire netting. Even so-called kitchen Plums, under such treat- 

 ment and with a plentiful supply of water, become both sweet 

 and good. 



The results of Plum pot-culture are extraordinary ; but to 

 ensure fine fruit with good flavour thinning is necessary. An 

 orchard-house furnished with Plum-trees, arranged with different 

 colours, is a very pleasant sight when the fruit is fully developed. 

 The late Plums will hang on the trees for a much longer period 

 ihan those grown out of doors. The Monarch, Grand Duke, and 

 Coe's Golden Drop are valuable for this purpose. On walls old 



