=1.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =2=:67, 69. 1768. =2.= Kraft _Pom. Aust._ =2=:31, Tab. 177 fig. 2. 1796. =3.= _Lond. Hort. Soc. Cat._ 151. 1831. =4.= Prince _Pom. Man._ =2=:64. 1832. =5.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 265. 1832. =6.= Poiteau _Pom. Franc._ =1=:1846. =7.= Floy-Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._ 282, 283. 1846. =8.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 376. 1866. =9.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 937. 1869. =10.= Mas _Le Verger_ =6=:143. 1866-73. =11.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 443. 1889. =12.= _Guide Prat._ 156, 361. 1895. _Blue Perdrigon_ of some 3, 9, 11, 12. Die frühe Pflaume von Tours 2. _De Monsieur_ 12 incor. _Damas de Tours_ 8, 9, 11. _Early de Tours_ 5. _Early Tours_ 7, 9, 11. _Early Violet_ 3, 7, 9, 11, 12. Gros Damas de Tours 1. _Hâtive de Tours_ 12. _Madeleine_ 11, ?12. _Monsieur_ 11 incor. _Noire Hâtive_ 3, 8, 9, 11, 12. _Perdrigon Violet_ of some 3, 9, 11, 12. Précoce de Tours 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. _Précoce de Tours_ 2, 4. _Prune de la Madeleine_ 4, 9, 11. _Prune noire Hâtive_ 4. _Prune de Gaillon_ 8, 9, 11. _Prune de Monsieur_ 11 incor. _Saint Jean_ ?11, 12. _Violette de Tours_ 8, 11. _Violette Hâtive_ 9, 11. _Violet de Tours_ 9, 11, 12. _Violette Hâtive_ 7. _Violet_ 7. Duhamel described this variety, Gros Damas de Tours and Gros Noire Hative in the same publication, his descriptions of the three varieties being nearly identical. Following Duhamel many horticultural authorities continued to separate the varieties, but Downing, Floy-Lindley and Mathieu give Damas de Tours as a synonym of Early Tours, and Thompson, Hogg, Downing, Mathieu and the _Guide Pratique_ give Noire Hative as a synonym, while Prince holds Prune Noire Hative to be synonymous. With this great similarity in the names and descriptions, it seems doubtful if these are separate varieties, but not having the fruit of the three to compare, it has been thought best in _The Plums of New York_ to follow the nomenclature of the oldest authorities. Several writers have also named the Blue Perdrigon and the Perdrigon Violet as identical with Early Tours but neither can be, as all descriptions indicate that both are at least a month later in ripening than the variety under discussion. Early Tours is considered in continental Europe one of the best early plums for dessert. It is said when fully ripened to be a veritable sweetmeat. As the variety grows in the Station collection it can hardly be lauded as highly as in Europe. Yet it is at least worthy of a place in a home orchard as a delicious early plum.