1883.] 
NEW LATE PLUM MONARCH.-PORTULACAS. 
25 
“ The first planted yielded abundantly from 
the end of August onwards, and at the present 
time (February 8) have still a quantity of good 
sprouts forming under the tops ; while the 
lower portions of the stems are clothed with a 
second crop of close sprouts, which, if small, 
will eventually prove valuable. The last 
planted, and which represented the main crop, 
were on the whole the most profitable; these 
averaged about 30 inches in height, and have 
been covered with fine sprouts. 
“We made a sowing of seed on a sheltered 
border early in March ; but the plants result¬ 
ing being inferior to those pricked out from the 
early sowing, were not employed, and for the 
future we shall not trouble with a late batch. 
The sprouts and also savoys being very abund¬ 
ant, we find it unnecessary to cut the tops ; 
and by sacrificing, or rather retaining these, 
we ensure the growth of a quantity of late 
young sprouts of the best quality, and prob¬ 
ably, to a certain extent, also retard the run¬ 
ning to seed of those lower down the stems.” 
—W. Iggulden. 
NEW LATE PLUM MONARCH. 
[Plate 580.] 
E owe to the Messrs. Rivers & Son, of 
Sawbridgeworth, the opportunity of 
figuring this valuable New Late Plum, 
fruits of which were received from 
them about the end of September last in the 
excellent condition represented in the accom¬ 
panying plate. It is a seedling which the 
Messrs. Rivers have named the Monarch, “to 
complete the trilogy,” of which the other 
members are the Czar and the Sultan. “I 
think,” Mr. T. F. Rivers observes, “that the 
Monarch will prove to be one of the most 
important market plums of this generation. 
The tree is robust, and the fruit, which is 
produced in clusters, is of the size I send, 
and does not crack with rain.” 
The specimens from which our figure and 
description were made, were received on Sep¬ 
tember 28th last, when the following notes 
were made : —Leaves very broad, showing the 
vigorous character of the tree. Fruit dark 
dull pucy-purple, deeper purple where most 
exposed, covered with a thin bloom, nearly 
spherical, with a deep suture, rather large, 
the specimen being about six inches in cir¬ 
cumference ; flesh pale greenish-yellow, part¬ 
ing freely from the stone, juicy, and with a 
pleasant flavour resembling that of a well- 
ripened Orleans ; stone 1^ inch long, tapered 
to both ends, the widest part towards the 
basal extremity. 
Messrs. Rivers may well be congratulated 
for their renewed success in obtaining a plum 
which promises to be of so useful a character, 
in addition to the other important acquisitions 
which have come from the same quarter. New 
peaches and nectarines are perhaps to be 
classed amongst luxuries, but new plums, if 
good, like good apples, have a bearing on the 
supply of food for the people.—T. Moore. 
PORTULACAS. 
f HERE are in many gardens certain dry 
spots where it is somewhat difficult to 
get plants to grow with anything like 
success, on account of their being so 
hot and arid. It is beyond doubt that many 
things will not succeed in such a position. 
Happily for gardeners there are many com¬ 
pensating influences at work in Nature, and 
she has ordained that such unpromising spots 
should be just suited for gorgeous, attractive, 
and free-bloomiug plants like the species and 
varieties of Portulaca and Mesembryanthemum , 
Calandnnia umbellata, &c. There are many 
gardeners who know nothing of the wealth of 
beauty and gorgeous coloration to be found in 
the varieties of Portulaca, or the comparative 
ease with which they may be cultivated. 
When once grown successfully, the Portulaca 
is scarcely likely to be abandoned again. 
I presume that the fine Portulacas now cul¬ 
tivated are varieties of P. grandiflora, which 
was introduced from Chili many years ago. 
Certain garden varieties have been raised and 
named, and in addition quite a large section 
of double forms also have been produced. 
Some continental growers claim to have eight 
or ten varieties of each ; and I have seen as 
many. They are all remarkable for brilliancy 
and richness of colour, and they require so 
little water, that they flourish well on hot and 
arid spots. 
Formerly it was the custom with gardeners 
to treat the Portulaca as a half hardy annual, 
sowing the seed under glass, and transplanting 
to the open ground. When treated in this 
