NECTARINE AND LUCOMBE’s NONSUCH PLUMS. 
209 
ARTICLE IX. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE NECTARINE AND LUCOMBE’S 
NONSUCH PLUMS, 
With some Account of the Natural History and Introduction of some of the 
Varieties. 
The Varieties of Plums are numerous, and Sir J. E. Smith enume¬ 
rates several as natives of this country, amongst them is the Prunus 
domestica, or Common Wild Plum, which grows in most of our 
hedges, and is supposed to he the original of all our cultivated plums. 
According to Pliny, however, it is a native of Asia, and was brought 
from Syria into Greece, and thence to Italy. The different varieties 
now cultivated, have been introduced to Britain at various times, 
and some excellent ones have also been raised from seed in our own 
country. 
The Nectarine Plum , or Howell’s Large, and Prune Peche of the 
Hort. Soc. Cat. Nos. 128 and 119, and the Caledonian of some col¬ 
lections. This fruit has been much confused with the Goliah Plum, 
which, in many situations it so nearly resembles, that when detached 
from the tree, they are scarcely distinguishable from each other. In 
the wood, however, there is a material difference, the shoots of the 
Goliah are downy, as are also the footstalks of the fruit, whilst those 
of the Nectarine are perfectly smooth. The wood of the Nectarine 
grows strong, the leaves and flowers large, and the fruit reaches the 
size of a well-grown apricot, the skin is purple on the side next the 
sun, and a light red on the shaded side, covered with a fine azure 
bloom, the flesh dull greenish yellow, and slightly adhering to the 
stone. It is a most excellent bearer, either as a standard, or against 
a wall, usually ripening in good situations about the end of July, or 
beginning of August, which is somewhat earlier than the Goliah ; 
it is hardy, and well worthy of a place in every orchard and garden, 
being, without exception, the best plum of its size yet known. 
Lucombe's Nonsuch Plum .—This valuable variety, has been lately 
raised from seed, by Messrs. Lucombe, Pince, and Co. of Exeter. 
It is undoubtedly the nearest approach, that has yet been made on 
the part of a seedling to the famous Green Gage, or Reine Claude of 
the French ; and although it cannot be said to equal that variety, it 
is, nevertheless, entitled to a character of very high excellence. It 
bears well as a standard, and is remarkably handsome, being variega¬ 
ted with dull yellow and orange, larger than the Green Gage usually 
p 
