1858. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
269 
SCHENECTADY CATHARINE. 
vastly superior. A month before the fruit oecomes 
ripe it can be eaten with much relish, being utterly 
void of the austere flavor peculiar to green plums of 
other sorts. Fruit from small to medium, roundish; 
suture, indistinct; skin deep violet, covered with a 
light bloom; stalk thin and set in a slight depression; 
flesh greenish yellow, melting, juicy, with an abun¬ 
dance of rich refreshing juice ; separates entirely from 
the stone, and is invaluable for the dessert or drying. 
[This plum has been widely cultivated, and the tree 
proves as hardy as any known kind. We cannot, how¬ 
ever, regard it as equal in flavor to the Green Gage, 
while its small size is quite a drawback on its popu¬ 
larity. It is, notwithstanding, a plum of much value. 
The figure represents it as much larger than we have 
found it elsewhere.— Eds ] 
“ Quackenboss.” —If I were restricted to cultiva¬ 
ting but a single plum tree, I should give preference to 
the “ Quackenboss.” In appearance it resembles a 
half-grown apple tree. Amongst trees it is the Maison 
du Sante. In the bark, in the leaves, in the fruit, it 
carries indubitable evidences of bursting health. The 
foliage is extremely dark, and as glossy as if varnish¬ 
ed. The bark of the branches and trunk is highly 
polished, and so marked is the difference to that of 
the stock, that at a distance it has the appearance 
of having been recently decorticated. It may strike 
the incredulous reader that my encomium is some¬ 
what superlative, and that I am somewhat lavish of 
adjectives, but I am not alone in this prodigal lauda¬ 
tion. A veteran market-grower of this city, so highly 
estimates the Quackenboss, that he has recently in¬ 
creased his orchard with about 5,000 trees of this va¬ 
riety. It is said by Charles Downing to have been in¬ 
troduced by Mr. Quackenboss of Greenbush, N. Y.; 
but this statement I am inclined to doubt, as there is 
a seedling tree of this identical sort in the garden of 
Mr. S C. Groot of this city, which is about thirty years 
old, and has bourne as much as six and seven bushels 
at a crop. The tree is a rapid and upright grower 
Fruit large, oblong-oval; skin deep purple, profuse¬ 
ly covered with a bluish bloom; stalk short, thin, 
crooked, and set in a slightly depressed cavity; flesh 
greenish yellow, sprightly, juicy, a little coarse-grain¬ 
ed, sweet and excellent; adheres slightly to the stone; 
ripens the last of October. For market it is unsurpassed. 
reagi.es’ union purple. 
Reagles’ Union Purple is a seedling of my own 
raising. The tree resembles the Quackenboss in ap¬ 
pearance, and is as easily propagated as an apple or 
peach tree. It attains a very large size, and is a pro¬ 
lific bearer. The fruit is of mammoth proportions— 
considerably exceeding in size every other plum in cul¬ 
tivation. Its culture is very simple, requiring but lit¬ 
tle attention. Fruit of the largest size, roundish oval; 
skin reddish purple, covered with a thin bloom ; suture, 
only perceptible near the stalk and apex; stalk, short 
and thick, set on a nearly even surface ; flesh green¬ 
ish, a little coarse; vinous, but when fully matured, 
sweet and rich ; adheres to the stone on one side ; Sep¬ 
tember. 
“ Reagles’ Gage.” —Another seedling of my own 
raising, and one which I think will prove a satisfactory 
substitute for the Green Gage. The fruit bears a strong 
resemblance to the latter, with the difference of at¬ 
taining a larger size. The tree has a very superior 
habit, and one which nurserymen will appreciate—be¬ 
ing straight, hardy and thrifty. Fruit, medium, round; 
