186 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Mar., 1902. 
people have yet dreamt of, and when this comes about these Japanese plums 
will have a good deal to do with it. 
Their vigorous growth and heavy cropping qualities make them a profit- 
able tree for the grower. The “October Purple” is, to my mind, one of the 
best of its class, though not the largest. It colours very slowly, with a reddish 
tinge on one. side; this tinge gradually spreading and deepening until it 
becomes a strong purple-red, and covers nearly the whole fruit. 
In addition to this colour, there is a slight dotting and striping of bronze 
occasionally showing. The size of the fruit, as will be seen in our illustration, 
is, for the Jap, medium. 
The quality is good; in fact, when only half-coloured, the fruit is unex- 
pectedly sweet, with a decent flavour, which becomes at maturity very good 
indeed. The fruit is very juicy; flesh, yellow when ripe. 
This plum, with us, was available for marketing either for jam or cooking 
right through January, and will hang till the second week in February. I¢ 
should not be pulled too soon, until the grower is quite satisfied that it has. 
come well up. 
Wo. 2 shows the Wickson. A big plum, very handsome ; should be a good 
plum in the jam factory. It is no good to eat until perfectly ripe, when itis 
like a jelly. Ripens yellowish at first, then colours to a strong purplish bronze, 
Sonera striped occasionally. Shows brick-yellow flesh. ~ 
This is a great cropper; in fact, it will very readily overbear itself and 
break down. : 
The specimen shown here was prevented by late frosts from setting too 
many fruit, though it had a very respectable crop. 
Vo. 3 shows one of our European plums, “the Diamond.” This is the first 
attempt at fruiting, and not a bad one for a young tree. It is a fine sho 
plum of good size; oval in shape; dark purple, almost black, when ripe ; los 
pale, and quality only fit for jam or cooking. It is sour to the taste, and cannot 
be classed as a dessert plum; at the same time, by present appearances, it will 
be worth growing with other good sorts on the Downs. 
No. 4 illustrates one of our “Robinsons” at Westbrook, and one of the 
gamest, pluckiest little fruit trees I have ever met with. 
This specimen is a member of the Chickasaw family, and has one very 
great recommendation in common with the Wild Goose, Newman, and others: 
of its class, in that it is proof against the attack of the fruit fly. 
It is not an eating plum, not being of a true dessert quality, but for jam- 
making and cooking it is excellent. 
There can be no doubt about its bearing capabilities, as the illustration 
shows, and the only thing I regret is that we could not reproduce the whole 
thing in the natural colours, for it would then be as pretty a sight of its sort 
as could well be met with. 
It is very suitable for growing all along our coast country, even where: 
wholesale production is not aimed at, as it will well repay the smallest grower 
for a little care and attention. ' 
In size, it is similar to the Wild Goose, with a brisk, sharp, acid taste, and! 
ripens a bright red. As shown in the picture, it bears in heavy elusters for 
some length along the limbs. 
To return to the Japs for a moment: I would like to remind readers who: 
may be inclined to plant Japs extensively that they are subject to the attack of 
the fruit fly, and successful production will depend very largely on a strong: 
effort being made to keep the fly in check. As we are constantly pointing out, 
this can best be done by carefully gathering and destroying all fallen and 
infested fruit by boiling for a few minutes. 
Some readers may say, “That is all very fine, but what about our dirty 
neighbours who don’t do this?” My reply is a very simple one, viz. : “ Let 
each man take care that he is not the dirty neighbour, and this part of the 
trouble will soon vanish.” +H 
