December 6,1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
521 
the temperature regulated at will. Of course being made for terra cotta 
its shape and form is not convenient for drying Plums, but it afforded 
ample evidence that kilns built on this principle, but specially modified, 
would answer admirably for fruit-drying purposes. I tried several 
kinds of Plums, amongst others the Early Prolific, Blaisdon Red, 
Yictoria, and Black Diamond, but every Plum I tried was deficient in 
all the three characteristics of the prune- d'ente —toughness of skin, 
solidity of flesh, and abundance of saccharine. Some failed altogether, 
and even those which yielded a moderately fair result had to be treated 
with extraordinary care to avoid the bursting of the skin and consequent 
escape of the juice. They had to be put many times into the kiln, and 
the finishing temperature had to be arrived at very gradually ; and even 
then I unfortunately spoilt from a too high temperature several claiefuls 
of Plums, which I was preparing in an ordinary bread oven at West- 
bury. The Plum season was a short one this year, and unless picked 
quite green so many rotted before they were really ripe, owing to the 
damp and rain. So that with the time and means at my disposal I was 
only able to produce a very limited number of Plums. Those giving 
the best results were the Blaisdon Red, the Black Diamond, and the 
Yictoria. 
The deductions I should draw from my observations and experiments 
may, I think, be summarised as follows :— 
1, That whilst we do not cultivate in this country at least the true 
prunicr d'ente, nor any tree bearing fruit at all similar to it, it is very 
doubtful whether it would really succeed if introduced. In its native 
country, where the summers are longer, much warmer, and more reliable 
than with us, it i3 the earliest to bloom and the latest to ripen of all 
Plums. The department of the Lot and Garonne is about 450 miles 
almost due south of Reading, a distance sufficient to make a very 
material difference in climatic influences. M. Gajac, though he had 
never been in England, and could not speak a word of English, knew 
something of the valley of the Severn, and,thought that the influence of 
the Gulf Stream on our western coasts and the daily influx of warm 
tidal water up the river might compensate for our more northerly 
latitude. That these influences do produce considerable effect is certain, 
but not sufficient to place us on anything like an equality with the 
district 450 miles nearer the equator. I have no doubt the trees would 
■grow well and bear fruit, but I do doubt most extremely whether they 
would produce a fruit capable of conversion into a good quality of 
French Plum, though it would be capable of making very excellent 
pruneaux in most if not all seasons. I last winter had sent me from 
Orleans a dozen trees which were supposed to be the true French Plum 
tree. I did not then know as much about the matter as I do now, and 
I much doubt whether these trees are the right ones. They called them 
at Orleans Pruniers d’Agen, and I expect they really represent the 
Pruniers Communs to which I have referred. There are now being sent 
me from Clairac a score of the true pruniers d'ente, so that I may test 
experiment ally whether they will thrive in our district. I may mention 
that at Clairac they always graft at the foot of the tree. They say 
the winters are so rough that there is much less chance of damage from 
the wind than if the graft were several feet from the ground. 
2, That though none of our existing Plums will yield best French 
Plums, we can produce pruneaux, which are not without merit. 
Whether it would be a lucrative operation is not an easy question to 
answer. We have to bear in mind that it will require nearly 4 lbs. of 
our home varieties to make I lb. of pruneaux. In other words, assum- 
the value of the raw fruit to be Id. per lb., it would take 4d. worth of 
'fruit to make 1 lb. of pruneaux, and I think this would have to sell at 
5d. per lb. to make the manufacture profitable. 
3, A factory could not be started solely for the manufacture of 
pruneaux, because the busy time would be so small a proportion of the 
whole year that it could hardly be rendered remunerative ; moreover 
the raw fruit would bear but little travelling, and so could not well be 
brought from any great distance. It has to be quite ripe and yet must 
not be at all bruised, and the skin must not be the least broken. A 
factory might encourage the erection and maintenance of ovens and 
kilns in different localities, and in fact the earlier stages of manufacture 
might be carried out in such localities themselves, and the process be 
subsequently completed at the factory. Such a plan would also have 
the advantage of extending the annual period of life at the factory. It 
might also be possible to store the raw fruit in cool chambers at the 
factory and dry it at leisure, but I doubt this. A factory in fact, to be 
successful, must embrace other operations beside drying Plums. 
4, That the principle of the gas-kilns I have described is admirably 
adapted for fruit-drying purposes. Such kilns erected in pairs or in 
sets of four would not be costly, and would dry a great quantity of 
fruit. Not only Plums, but Pears and Apples, were dried abroad, and 
such work would have the advantage of coming in after the Plum 
season had expired. It is, however, I think, to individual growers we 
must look if any industry, such as French Plum manufacture, is to 
succeed. It is essentially an industry for small holdings, and no factory 
can itself carry out the work on a large scale, though it may materially 
.assist in many ways. If it took no part in the manufacture it might 
•well take the place of the merchant in France ; might purchase the 
Plums direct from the growers, grade, store, and market them ; but in¬ 
dividual growers must take up the industry. If anyone possessing a 
suitable piece of ground for even fifty trees, giving them plenty of room 
for light and air, will plant pruniers d'ente, I am satisfied it will pay 
him well to make and use an oven ; and though he will probably not 
make “French Plums,” he will certainly make most excellent pruneaux, 
and sell them at a good price. Whether the industry will succeed if 
simply applied to our native growths is a very much more doubtful 
point. The amount of extra trouble, care and attention the process 
will require in consequence of the fruit lacking the necessary charac¬ 
teristics will increase the cost of manufacture and reduce the value of 
the produce. I think myself that it is in other ways that we must look 
to dispose of the produce of our existing varieties of Plums, and for 
some at any rate of these ways a factory is probably an essential ele¬ 
ment of success. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
MARGATE.— November 21st and 22nd. 
The Isle of Thanet Chrysanthemum Society has only been estab¬ 
lished two years, and by sheer hard work and excellent organisation the 
Society has made remarkable progress. The Exhibition held in the 
Hall by the Sea on the above dates was very satisfactory. The first 
prize for a group of miscellaneous plants arranged for effect went to 
Mr. Gosden, gardener to J. Atkinson, Esq., Albert House, Westbrook, for 
a fine group lightly arranged. Second, Mr. Roberts, gardener to T. 
Sebag Montefiore, Esq., East Cliff Lodge, Ramsgate, who ran the first 
■ group very close. Trained plants were arranged down the whole of one 
side of the hall. In the class for sLx specimen plants, Mr. Fair weather, 
gardener to W. Tarrett, Esq., Westgate-on-Sea, was first with fine plants 
of Mrs. G. Rundle, Pink Christine, and others. Mr. J. Cornford was a 
very good second, and Mr. lies third. For a single Japanese specimen 
Mr. Fairweather was again first with a superb plant of Peter the Great. 
On the opposite side of the hall were the groups of Chrysanthemums 
arranged for effect. There were eight entries, and the competition 
most keen ; so close were the first and second that some difficulty was 
experienced in separating them ; the post of honour, however, fell to 
Mr. Cornford, gardener to H. P. P. Cotton, Esq., Quex Park. Mr. E. 
Bishop second, and Mr. F. Roberts third; this group was bright and 
remarkably fresh. A grand group of cut down plants was staged by 
Mr. W. Jarman, gardener to T. Farmer, Esq., Chapel Hill, Margate, not 
for competition, attracted considerable attention. 
The cut blooms throughout the Show were of first quality. Tn the 
class for twenty-four incurved flowers, Mr. Cornford was first with good 
blooms, including Golden Empress of India, Emily Dale, Jeanne d’Arc, 
Pink Perfection, &c. Mr. Fairweather second, and Mr. J. Gaines third. 
For twelve incurved Mr. Fairweather came first with grand blooms of 
Empress of India, Cherub and Empress Eugenie. Mr. Cornford second. 
Mr. Fairweather was again first in the classes for six incurved and for 
three incurved alike, exhibiting three perfect blooms of Empress of 
India. The Japanese classes were well filled, and for twenty-four 
blooms Mr. Cornford was first with good blooms of Moonlight, Baronne 
de Prailly, Belle Paule, &c. Mr. Fairweather second with Comte de 
Germiny, Gloriosum and Grandifiorum. For six Japanese Mr. Fair- 
weather was again first with the finest half-dozen blooms in the Show, 
amongst them being Madame C. Audiguier, Gloriosum and Grandifiorum. 
Mr, Cornford second, and Mr. T. Hunt third. In the open class for 
thirty-six blooms Mr. Skinner of Eas.t Sutton Park, Staplehurst, was 
first with grand flowers of Edwin Molyneux, Gloriosum, Meg Merrilies, 
Ralph Brocklebank, Mdlle. Lacroix, Mr. C. II. Wheeler, Lady Lawrence, 
Empress of India, Emily Dale, Bronze Queen of England, C. Gibson, and 
Mrs. Norman Davis. Messrs. W. Ray & Co. of Teynham were a good 
second. 
Mr. Fred. T. Hart of Ospringe Road Nursery, Faversham, staged 
some grand blooms not for competition, the most prominent amongst 
them being Edwin Molyneux, Amy Furze, Mdlle. Paule Datour, Mir, 
Madame Pages, Martha Harding, Lady Lawrence, Florence Percy, &c. 
The fruit and vegetables were of excellent quality ; amongst the 
prizewinners were Mr. F. Miller, Mr. T. Lake, Mr. A. Croucher, Mr. T. 
Cornford, and Mr. Barber. 
WOKINGHAM— November 21st and 22nd. 
This small but flourishing Society held its fourth annual Show in 
he Drill Hall, Wokingham, on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 21st 
,nd 22nd. The show of cut blooms was good, several well-known ex- 
libitors competing in the open classes. In the leading class for twelve 
ncurved, distinct varieties, Mr. W. Lane, gardener to Miss J. D. Smith, 
liner’s Ride, Ascot, was first with a good even stand, very bright and 
cesh. Back row—Empress of India, Alfred Salter, Golden Empress, 
nd Lord Alcester. Second row—Princess of Wales, Jeanne dArc, 
h-incess Teck, and Jardin des Plantes. Front row—Yellow Perfection, 
Lngelina, Isabella Bott, and Lady Carey. Mr. Allen, gardener to Sir 
}. Russell, Swallowfield Park, was a close second ; Mr. Hughes, gar- 
ener to H. F. Paravicini, Heathfield, Ascot, third. 
Mr. Lane was also successful with twelve Japanese, staging good 
looms of the following varieties :—Back row—Madame C. Audiguier, 
jady Trevor Lawrence, Belle Paule, and Gloriosum. Second row 
Ir H. Canned, J. Delaux, Thunberg, and Madame J. Laing. I ront 
ow—Mr II. Wellarn, Criterion, M. Brunet, Mdlle. Lacroix. Mr. Allen 
-as second ; Mr. Popple, gardener to Lady Stephney, Ascot, third For 
ix reflexed, Mr. Poppel was first; Mr. Lane, second ; Mr. Hughes, 
bird. Groups were poor. Mr. Sinclair, gardener to the Marchioness 
f Downshire, Easthampstead Park, was first ; I. M. Wescott, Rsq., 
econd; and Mr. Ashman, Billingbear Park, third 
Messrs. Sutton’s special prizes for vegetables brought a fine com- 
etition Mr. Wilks, Holly Court, was first ; Mr Poppel, second ; and 
Ir W Townsend, third ; and Mr. W. Ball, fourth. Cyclamens were well 
