THE PLUM. 
359 
Blue Imperatrice. Thomp. P. Mag. 
Imperatrice. Lind. Mill. Yiolette. 
Veritable Imperatrice. Imperatrice Violette. O.Duh. 
The true Blue Imperatrice is an 
admirable plum, one of the finest of 
the late plums, hanging for a long 
time on the tree, and may be kept 
in the fruit room a considerable 
period after being gathered. It is 
rich, sugary and excellent. The 
branches are long* smooth, and 
slender, and the smaller twigs start 
out at nearly right angles with the 
main branches. 
Fruit of medium size, obovate, 
tapering most towards the stalk. 
Stalk nearly an inch long, set in 
a slight hollow. Skin deep purpled, 
covered with a thick blue bloom. 
Flesh greenish-yellow, pretty firm, 
rather dry, but quite rich and 
sugary, adhering closely to the 
stone. Ripens in October, and will 
tuu g, in sheltered situations, till the middle of November. 
Bleecker’s Gage. Man. 
Blue Imperatrice. 
German Gage. 
A fruit of the first quality, and 
the most popular plum in the 
northern and western portion of 
this state, being not only excel- 
lent, but remarkably hardy, and 
a good and regular bearer. It 
was raised by the lateMrs.Bleecker, 
of Albany, about 30 years ago, 
from a prune pit given her by the 
Rev. Mr. Dull, of Kingston, N. Y., 
which he received from Germany. 
The original tree still stands in 
her garden. 
It ripens the last of August, 
from a week to two weeks later 
than our Yellow Gage. Branches 
downy. Fruit of medium size, 
roundish-oval, very regular. Su- 
ture scarcely perceptible. Stalk 
quite long, an inch or more, 
straight and pretty stout, downy 
