1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
369 
The above are outlines of five varieties of the plum, 
which possess valuable qualities, but are not so widely 
known as other variaties of less merit. 
1. Red Diaper, Diapree Rouge, or Mimms. —Large, 
handsome, reddish purple; stem half to three-fourths of 
an inch long, slightly sunk; flesh free from stone,juicy, 
melting, sweet, delicious, better in flavor than Wash¬ 
ington. Tree a rather slow grower. Last of summer. 
2. Bleecker’s Gage. —Medium in size, or rather 
large, roundish-oval, regular, suture very obscure; stem 
an inch long, downy, in a small cavity; skin yellow, at 
first with obscure clouds or stripes, and with numerous 
white specks; flesh sweet, juicy, rich, free from the 
stone. Late in summer. Distinguished from Prince’s 
Yellow Gage by its longer and stouter stem, and 
later maturity; and from Lawrence’s Favorite, which 
it resembles in flavor, by the much shorter stem and 
more obtuse fruit of the latter. 
3. Purple Favorite. —Very few plums are equal 
to this in quality. Medium in size, often approaching 
large, roundish-obovate, somewhat variable in form, 
transverse section not unfrequently inclining to triangu¬ 
lar; suture obsolete; skin dark dull reddish purple, ir¬ 
regularly or occasionally dotted with whitish specks. 
Stem nearly an inch long, very slightly sunk. Flesh 
free from the stone, greeenish, tender, juicy, melting, 
sweet, rich, excellent; not quite the rich sweetness of 
the Green Gage, but exceedingly agreeable. Latter 
part of summer. Growth slow. 
4. Lawrence’s Favorite, or Lawrence Gage .— 
Rather large, roundish-oval, slightly flattened at the 
ends; suture, nearly even with the surface; skin greenish 
yellow, slightly clouded—and shaded, netted, and dot¬ 
ted, with reddish brown in the sun. Stem half an inch 
long, in a small cavity. Flesh with a rich greenish 
yellow hue, with an excellent and rather rich flavor, 
nearly free from the stone. Middle of 8 mo., (Aug.) 
Tree upright, thrifty. 
5. Jefferson. —This celebrated plum has been wide¬ 
ly disseminated within a few years, and wherever it has 
fruited, has maintained its high character. Although 
not quite so rich or excellent in flavor as some smaller 
varieties, it deserves to rank among the first, and by 
some is regarded as decidedly the best of all plums. It 
is large, oval, obscurely inclining to obovate; stem 
three-fourths of an inch long, in a small cavity; skin 
becoming yellow, often tinged with red in the sun ; flesh 
a deep yellow, here slightly to the stone, rich, very 
sweet, juicy, high-flavored. Late in summer. 
Pears for the South. 
It is only within the last few years that the attention 
of our citizens has been drawn to the cultivation of such 
fruits as the peach, apple and pear, in this southern 
latitude. It was supposed that our southern sun was 
too powerful to perfect them, but we found we only re¬ 
quired experience in their cultivation, and the proper 
selection of trees for our soil. Eperience has come to 
our aid, and it is worth what it has cost us to be ena¬ 
bled to luxuriate on our juicy, sweet and excellent 
fruits. 
At one time we became disheartened from the impo¬ 
sitions which were practiced on us by the nurserymen 
at the North, and by itinerant Frenchmen from Paris, 
by way (generally) of New-Orleans. The former, 
sending out worthless trees which had been picked up 
at auction or purchased from sources of no responsibility; 
the latter, by imposing on us worthless shrubs and 
fruit trees with high sounding names. 
The taste for agricultural and horticultural improve¬ 
ment is rapidly increasing in this State, and I have no 
hesitation in saying, that any nurseryman can win a 
large share of patronage by integrity and liberality in 
dealing with us. 
Believing that there are many such men at the North, 
and to enable them when they receive orders for pear 
trees (for to this tree I shall now confine myself,) the 
selection being left to them, to send trees which will 
give great satisfaction, we give a list of fourteen pears, 
which will yield a better return in the shape of profit 
and enjoyment than has yet been attained by the culti¬ 
vation of any other kinds. These trees have been al¬ 
ready introduced here—they were brought direct from 
France by one of our citizens, grafted on the quince and 
the white thorn, and have been tested and found wellt 
adapted to the climate and soil of Alabama. The lis 
is as follo ws : 
Autumn Colmar, 
Bezi de Fieri, 
Summer Bon Chretien, 
Doyenne d’Ete, 
Duehesse d’Angouleme, 
Lou se Bonne, 
Blanch Fleur, 
Beurre d’Amalis, 
Chaumontel, 
Windsor, 
Doyenne, Gray, 
Doyenne, White, 
Marie Louise, 
Bouquet. 
My remarks in regard to the impositions practiced 
upouus, have been general. They relate in fact to all 
kinds of fruit and plants. A ready market has gene¬ 
rally been found here, and an avidity for novelty. Thi 
