The Family Kitchen Gardener (1856)/Plum
PLUM.
Prunùs doméstica.—Prune, Fr.—Pflaumenbaum, Ger.
There are some species of the Plum found in Asia, Europe, and America. It is an ancient fruit, held in high estimation by the Romans, who amused themselves (as history says) by grafting the Plum on the Apple. We are not surprised at these and other notions, for it is current in the present age that black Roses can be obtained by budding on Black Currant bushes. When they grow, no doubt they will be black. It is not acknowledged to be a first class, healthy fruit, though it is admitted “they will not injure strong constitutions.” When perfectly ripe, a few can be eaten to advantage, as they tend to keep the system open. The bark of the Wild Plum is used as a substitute for Peruvian Bark, in cases of intermitting fever. The fruit is considered indispensable as a conserve. Nothing of the kind can equal Green Gage jelly, and preserved Washington Plums. The following are indispensable for a good collection:
Bleecker’s Gage.—Raised in the State of New York. Fruit oval, of medium size; color yellow, with white specks. Flesh yellow, rich, sweet and luscious. Ripe, end of August. Free.—Downing.
Coe’s Golden Drop.—An English variety. Fruit very large; long-oval; color rich, golden-yellow, with numerous brown dots. Flesh yellow, very rich and luscious. Ripe about the 10th of September, and will keep till October. A cling; will not do for preserving.
Columbia.—A New York seedling. Fruit very large; round, fine form; color brownish-purple, with numerous specks. Flesh orange, if perfectly ripe, rich and sugary. Free. Ripe about the end of August.—Downing.
Imperial Gage, or Flushing Gage.—Raised at Prince's nursery, Flushing. Fruit oval; medium size; color green, tinged with yellow next the sun. Flesh yellowish-green, rich, juicy, and delicious. Free. Ripe about the 24th of July.
Green Gage, or Reine Claude.—The Plum of Plums. Fruit rather under size; color greenish-yellow. Flesh green, very rich, juicy, melting, and very luscious. A great bearer. Free stone. Ripe about the 10th of August.
Huling’s Superb.—A native of this country. Fruit very large; round-oval; color greenish-yellow. Flesh same color, firm, rich, and well flavored. A great bearer. Free stone. An excellent table or kitchen fruit. Ripe 4th of August.
Morocco.—Fruit round; medium size; color dark violet- purple. Flesh yellow, juicy, sharp, and well flavored. Ripe about the 24th of July.
Nectarine, or Caledonian.—Fruit very large; oval; color purple, with a fine bloom. Flesh yellow, rich, and sharp flavor. Ripe about the 8th of August.
Orleans Early—Fruit round; medium size. Flesh greenish-yellow; color marbled-red, with a purple check; sharp, rich flavor. A free stone A great bearer. Ripe about the first of August.
Jefferson.—An Albany seedling, and, according to report (we have not seen it), one of the finest sorts. Fruit large, fine, oval form; color golden-yellow, with a red cheek. Flesh deep orange, very rich, juicy, and high flavored; parts freely from the stone. Ripe about the 25th of August.
Purple Gage—Fruit round, medium size; color reddish- crimson, dotted. Flesh pale orange, rich, juicy, and high flavored. A free stone. Ripe about the 15th of September.
Quetsche, or German Prune.—Fruit very large, regularly oval; color dark blue-violet when fully ripe. The skin separates very readily from the flesh, and makes a first rate dessert or kitchen fruit. Ripe about the 10th of September.
Imperatrice.—Fruit oval, above medium size; color deep purple, covered with bloom. Flesh firm, rich, and sugary, adhering to the stone. Ripe about the first of October.
Washington (Bolmar’s).—A New York seedling. Fruit very large; round-oval; color dull greenish-yellow. Flesh yellow, firm, sweet, and luscious, separating readily from the stone. Ripe about the 15th of August.
Wine Sour.—Fruit medium size, roundish-oval; color purple. Flesh bright red, exceedingly juicy. A great bearer, and the best Plum for cooking. Ripe in September.
It must be conceded that the character of the Plum is, in some measure, choice, good, or indifferent, according to situation, climate, and soil; yet we contend that bad soil and situation will not entirely obliterate the good qualities of a choice fruit.
Culture.—The best soil for the Plum is a strong, loamy soil, on a dry bottom. In such they grow well and produce fine crops.
Plant them at twenty-five feet apart, if in the orchard; but if for family use, they should be planted on some paved yard, or other situation, where the fallen fruit will be carefully destroyed.
If the general nature of the soil is sandy, it will be benefited by a compost of very old manure and meadow earth, in equal proportions, being incorporated with it, where the trees are to be planted.
Propagation is done with the greatest facility by planting the stones in the month of October, about an inch deep. These vegetate the following season, and can be transplanted into a convenient part of the garden in rows, to be budded the second year, in the month of July, in a period of cloudy, moist weather. They can also be grafted very early in Spring, by either whip or wedge grafting, as recommended for the Apple; but it must be observed, that stone-fruit does not take so readily by grafting as budding. Useless varieties of the Plum should be cut back, as advised for the Pear; they will then make vigorous shoots, a portion of which can be saved and budded with choice varieties. Where there is not much room, and a variety of fruit wanted, we strongly advise several sorts of fruit to be worked on one tree; by adopting this practice with all kinds of fruit trees, a great variety can be obtained in a very small space. In favorable soils their growth is rapid. There is, within fifty feet of where I write, a tree thirteen years from the stone, that is budded with four sorts, produces a large crop every season, is now thirty feet high, and two feet from the ground the stem measures three feet in circumference.
Pruning is performed as directed for Pears; but large amputations should only be made in July, August, or September. At that period the wounds will readily heal over.
Insects.—The great and only foe of this tree is the Curculio, or Plum-Weevil. A preventive to its ravages has not been discovered. We observe trees planted in pavements, or near to dwellings, are not so subject to its attack as those in cultivated ground or gardens. Some kinds are also more subject to it than others. With us, the following are entirely destroyed by it: Coes’ Golden Drop, Magnum Bonum, Kirk’s Late Red, and Bingham; while the Green Gage, Morocco, Wine Sour, Orleans, and Washington, are not or but slightly, injured. As a cure, fifteen or twenty pounds of salt, or salt brine, is strongly recommended by some. It is laid under the tree early in Autumn. This is to destroy the insects, which lie under the surface of the ground all Winter. We doubt not but repeated doses of this will destroy them.