The Book of Pears and Plums Part 6

PLUMS AND DAMSONS

What is the finest fruit in the world? The secretary and the superintendent of the R.H.S. (in vol. xxvi., parts ii. and iii. of the _Journal of the R.H.S._) agree in thinking that Goldoni, a yellow nectarine raised from a peach by the late Francis Rivers is, when properly ripened, without exception, the finest fruit in the world. It has not been my privilege to taste it, yet I venture to think that a thoroughly ripened plum of one of the best varieties must come near it.

The incessant demand for greengages is a testimony to the popularity of the plum as a dessert fruit. Next to the apple, it is the most useful of our fruits.

ORIGIN OF THE PLUM

Eminent botanists are of opinion that our plums and damsons have had their origin in the _Prunus Communis_ found in various parts of Europe and Asia, but others consider that the _Prunus Domestica_ is the parent of the majority. Mr A. H. Pearson of Chilwell, Nott. (_v. Journal of the R.H.S._, vol. xxi. part ii.), thinks that "the blood" of more than one species is found in the plums of the present day, as varieties closely resembling one another demand different stocks for their well-being when propagated by grafting. The cherry plum is _Prunus myrobalana_, and of this species there are several varieties, as St Etienne, Mirabelle Precoce, _i.e._ the Early Mirabelle, Mirabelle Pet.i.te, and others.

Rivers' Early Prolific is said to be of the same race.

The Bullace is cla.s.sed by some botanists under the _Prunus Inst.i.titia_, and they place the damson in the same species, but the latter is round, the former oval. The damson, a small plum, may be safely cla.s.sed with the _Prunus Communis_. It derives its name from the city of Damascus.

Damascena is the word used in Pliny for the district round Damascus, and damson originally meant the Damascus plum. The Chinese have for centuries cultivated plums, and in the United States plums from j.a.pan are coming rapidly into use, and appear to be more successful there than in the British Isles. We find the word _prunum_, a plum, in Vergil, Ovid, Martial, and other Roman writers. _Prunus_, a plum tree, is derived directly from the Greek; _prunus silvestris_, in Columella and Pliny, is supposed to mean the black thorn or sloe tree. These ill.u.s.trations prove that the plum has been known for ages, and that its value is recognised in every part of the world. Our word plum is plainly derived from the Latin (probably through the Anglo-Saxon), and the word prune is almost identical with _prunum_.

SOIL AND SITUATION

The plum is not so particular as the pear about soil, yet it has its preferences. It is not so deep-rooting as the apple and pear are; the character therefore of the lower soil is not so important. But stone-fruits require lime. In planting for profit, no site should be selected for a large plantation if the soil is deficient in lime. It is true that lime can be added, but this plan may suit a private garden, not a large plantation for profit. The plum being hardier than the pear will flourish in most soils, even in a heavy loam, but not in light sandy or gravelly soil. In the latter case, something may be done by heavy manuring and frequent removal. The trees in the R.H.S.'s garden at Chiswick are a triumph of skilful culture, as good crops are raised on many trees in a hot and gravelly soil. Some damsons, however, do not thrive there. But such culture is costly. In soils of an intermediate character, much may be done by adding other materials as suggested for pears. If there is any doubt about the amount of lime in the soil, an a.n.a.lysis should be obtained, and special notice taken of the trees in the neighbourhood. The plum (like the pear) will not thrive in a low, wet, undrained locality, nor in one that is very dry or exposed.

Drainage is essential to success. If, in a rainy season, water in a clay soil is allowed to remain round the roots, canker or gumming is pretty sure to follow. Excessive moisture is as bad as extreme dryness. The slope of the ground, therefore, is a matter of importance. In Ess.e.x there is often land quite level with a heavy clay soil difficult to drain; such soil would not suit plums, though it might suit quinces. The aspect as well as the slope must also be considered. For the better cla.s.s of plums, _i.e._ dessert varieties, where sweetness is expected, a position open to the southern sun is best, but they will also thrive if the aspect is S.-E. or even S.-W. Culinary and hardy varieties might be planted in the colder aspects to the N., N.-E. or N.-W. Proper shelter must by no means be forgotten. Bitter north winds may injure the bloom almost as much as frost or rain; strong winds from the E. or S.-W. may do great damage to heavy crops. Mr Lewis Castle in "Plums for Profit"

(edited by myself, S.P.C.K.) suggests that "Canadian and Italian poplars make a good break if tall growers are required, but cherry plums, the myrobalan, will grow into a strong hedge in two or three years' time if the height be sufficient." Damson hedges serve a double purpose and afford good protection. He also suggests that some of the ornamental crabs are similarly useful for protection. Of these the Transcendant and Hyslop or Dartmouth produce good crops of lovely fruit which are excellent for cooking purposes and would probably sell well.

PROPAGATION AND STOCKS

The usual method of propagation is by budding and grafting. The stocks on which the different varieties are grafted are raised from stones. Mr Pearson states that six kinds of stocks are used in the best nurseries--_i.e._ the common plum, the Brussels, the Mussel, the Brompton, the Damas Noir or St Julien, and the Myrobalan. The secret of success is to work the stock with a variety which is of common parentage. Nearly all plums will grow upon the common plum stock, though some of them thrive much better upon other stocks. Prince Englebert and Diamond flourish upon Mussel, but not upon the Brompton. Belgian Purple will not grow upon either Brussels or common plum, but succeeds upon Damas Noir, Mussel, or Myrobalan. The accurate knowledge required points to the wisdom of purchasing trees only from nurserymen who make such trees a specialty.

The late Archdeacon Lea in his excellent book "Small Farms" dwells strongly on the folly of buying cheap stuff. Trees on unsuitable stocks or not true to name bring bitter disappointment after a few years.

"Never purchase trees because they are cheap. Visit the nurseries, and pick out trees with clean healthy bark, even though they are smaller than others." If you cannot go or send a reliable man, write in good time and get an early choice. Select and accept only young trees not more than two or three years' old. Budded trees are better than those grafted, as a general rule, the union being better; indeed grafting is usually adopted because budding has failed. In trees that have been budded, there will probably be less gumming.

PLANTING

Planting is a matter of supreme importance, but the rules for pears and plums are very much the same. Especial care must be taken if the soil is heavy and loaded with moisture. Put the trees on arrival in a trench (see before), and wait until the ground is fit and the soil as fine as possible so that the roots may run freely through it. Get the stakes ready and place them in position before planting. Bind the tree, if tall, at once when planted to the stake by soft willow twigs or other means, taking every care that the bark is not rubbed by the stake. Old cloth or carpet may be used for this purpose, tarred twine or cord being pa.s.sed round it. Dry stakes well tarred, often last as long as they are needed.

WHAT IS YOUR OBJECT?

What is your object? Before choosing varieties, or planting, it is advisable to ask yourself, what is my object? On the answer the form of plantation and the choice of trees must depend. If for a private house only, the answer is easy. Then comes the question, Is there a wall, and if so, what is the soil and the aspect? Is there an Orchard House? If for market, for what market are you preparing? In the Midlands, the Persh.o.r.e (= Gisborne's) is a great favourite; in London, the Early Orleans and the Egg Plum; in the North, the Black Diamond, the Wydale and others. In planting damsons the same question should be put. The Midland people won't have the Farleigh Prolific so popular in Kent, and they are right; the Shrops.h.i.+re folks think their damson the best of all and many agree with them. Are you near a jam factory? What plums do they desire or require? Local circ.u.mstances and wants should have great weight. If you are near a wood and birds are numerous, you may be wise in not growing greengages, yet otherwise they may be the best sort for a large outlay as the demand for them is universal.

PLUMS FOR A PRIVATE GARDEN

Let us suppose that the soil is fairly good; the choice of trees is not difficult. We have a selection made in 1892 by a committee of the R.H.S., consisting of forty experts, and their choice has been confirmed in a remarkable degree by a report of the trial of plums at the Chiswick Garden of the R.H.S. in 1901. At this trial on a soil that in a good year is said to suit them generally, ninety-five varieties were tested, and a good account was given of the following ten:--

Plums for Eating.

_Rivers' Early Transparent Gage._--"Green or greenish yellow, flushed with red, the finest early dessert plum, a good cropper, habit bushy, compact, vigorous."--R.[9] August 21.

_Dennistoun's Superb Gage._--"Green and of greengage flavour, a first-rate dessert variety, of exquisite flavour, cropping well as a bush tree in the open air, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 26.

_Jefferson's._--"Fruit larger than the two former, yellow, covered with small red dots, habit erect, compact, very vigorous, the best 'all round' table kind, succeeds in every form."--R. September 6.

In the list of 1892 _Belgian Purple_ was named as a plum for eating, but it is only fit for the table in warm seasons, "dark purple, of medium size, bears well, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 19.

Plums for Cooking.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLUM--RIVERS' EARLY PROLIFIC]

_Rivers' Early Prolific_, a dark purple fruit, rather small but one which comes in early so that it is often first in the market; thus the tree has time to rest and recover before winter. "A very early and valuable cooking plum; of fair quality for dessert, a great and constant bearer." The tree does not thrive everywhere, nor is it very vigorous.--R. July 23.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLUM--CZAR]

_Rivers' Czar._--"Dark red or purple, of medium size, very good bearer, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 2.

_Victoria_, "Fruit large and bright red, very heavy cropper, the most popular plum and best for general purposes."--R. August 22.

_c.o.x's Emperor_, or Denbigh, or Denbigh Seedling, "a large dark red of the Orleans type, habit erect, compact, vigorous, a very good free bearing plum that always cooks well."--R. August 22.

_Gisborne's_ (like Persh.o.r.e), "Fruit deep yellow, rather large, habit erect, compact, vigorous, a great bearer."--Early September.

_Rivers' Monarch_, "Fruit large, bluish-purple, the best late C.

(Cooking) plum, habit rather diffuse and vigorous."--R. September 13.

These ten varieties have borne the test of time, and won approval from the R.H.S. in 1892 and 1901. The descriptions are those of the R.H.S. Mr Lewis Castle omits c.o.x's Emperor and adds;--

_Early Orleans_, "medium size, reddish purple, good bearer and good C.

variety, habit diffuse and moderately vigorous."--R. August 2.

_Greengage._--If this is planted, choose July greengage, "rather large for a greengage, habit erect, compact, vigorous, better bearer than old G., fine-flavoured Dessert plum."--R. August 7.

_Diamond_, "very large, blue-black, very heavy cropper, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, good C. plum."--R. August 23.

_Pond's Seedling_, "Fruit very large, deep red, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, rather late, free bearing C. plum."--R. September 7.

_Prince Englebert_, "Rather large, dark purple, habit erect, compact, vigorous, reliable C. plum."--R. August 13.

_Coe's Golden Drop_, "Fruit large, pale yellow, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, a delicious late D. plum, an indifferent bearer on bush trees, most reliable on walls."--R. September 13.

These remarks are based on the Report of trials at Chiswick in 1901.

If one plum only is wanted, choose Victoria, if three, Early Prolific, Victoria and Monarch; to these Dennistoun's Superb and Jefferson might be added for dessert if five are desired.

All these varieties may be planted as Standards, but are better as half-standards or bushes. If as cordons they must be two feet or more apart, and lifted about once in three years. There is no dwarfing plum stock like the paradise for apples or the quince for pears.

If the dessert varieties are on walls, special attention must be given to pruning and to root-pruning. The growth of coa.r.s.e thick stems and branches is often fatal to the prospect of good crops.

PRUNING AND TRAINING