This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
Quite mediocre.
A prodigious bearer; quite late, and nearly first rate.
Early; but too dry and small to commend it to favorable notice.
Grows very much like the Green Gage; the wood of the new growth is occasionally destroyed by severe winters. It is a red plum, as its name indicates, exceedingly delicious and melting.
An abundant bearer; makes a fine tree; well worthy of cultivation.
This is a beautiful plum; ripens first of August; flavor occasionally first rate; almost too tender for this latitude.
Fruit second rate; a shy bearer; quite early and hardy. Ripens first
Second rate; much below my expectation; very large, but quite coarse.
One of the best of purple plums; hardy, productive, and delicious.
An excellent plum of French origin, and quite hardy; not equal, howev-to the Purple Favorite.
Nearly, if not quite as good, as the Purple Favorite. Ickworth Imperatrice.- Seldom ripens.
Almost as productive as the Lombard; greatly surpassing the latter, however in flavor. [Deserves to be far more extensively planted than it has been. Ed.]
I think this plum may be safely ranked among the first rate, for such, thus far, it has certainly proved to be; vigorous, hardy and productive.
Not as good as the foregoing, but well worthy the attention of cultivators. I remain your ob't serv't. 0. Beagles.
P. S. Another season I shall be able to send you specimens of the new seedling varieties, that you may judge of their qualities, compared with other good sorts. C. R.
Schtnectady, Jan., 1851.
 
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