Fruit mid-season, ripening period of average length; one and one-quarter inches in diameter, roundish-oval, slightly compressed, halves equal; cavity very shallow, narrow, flaring; suture an indistinct line; apex roundish; color crimson overspread with thick bloom; dots numerous, very small, light russet, inconspicuous; stem slender, five-eighths inch long, glabrous, not adhering to the fruit; skin thick, tough, inclined to crack under unfavorable conditions, separating readily; flesh golden-yellow, juicy, fibrous, tender and melting, sweet, strongly aromatic; good; stone semi-free, three-quarters inch by five-eighths inch in size, flattened, roundish-oval, somewhat compressed at the base, abruptly pointed at the apex, rough; ventral suture rather narrow, faintly ridged; dorsal suture with a narrow, shallow groove. HAND [Illustration: HAND] _Prunus domestica_ =1.= _Horticulturist_ =2=:436. 1847. =2.= _Ibid._ =6=:21 fig., 187, 294. 1851. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 190, 214. 1856. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 382. 1857. =5.= _Hogg Fruit Man._ 362. 1866. =6.= Mas _Pom. Gen._ =2=:19, fig. 10. 1873. =7.= _Ont. Fr. Exp. Sta. Rpt._ 120. 1896. =8.= _Cornell Sta. Bul._ =131=:185. 1897. =9.= _Waugh Plum Cult._ 108 fig. 1901. =10.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._ 314, 315 fig. 1903. =11.= _Mass. Sta. An. Rpt._ =17=:159. 1905. Gen. Hand 1, 2. General Hand 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. Genl. Hand 4. _General Hand_ 9, 10. _Montgomery_ 3 incor. Unproductiveness and uncertainty in bearing keep this magnificent yellow dessert plum from being one of the most commonly grown of all plums in America. Even with these handicaps, it has maintained its popularity for a century, is grown in all collections and shown in all exhibitions of note. It is the largest of the Reine Claude plums, well molded, a golden-yellow and when allowed to become fully ripe is most excellent in flavor and pleasing in all the flesh attributes of a good dessert plum. It is not as high in quality as some other of the Reine Claude plums, as, for example the Washington, with which it is often compared, for it is a little coarser in flesh and not as sprightly, but it is better than is commonly thought, because it is seldom allowed to reach its best flavor by full maturity. The trees on the Station grounds are all that could be asked for even in bearing; and elsewhere size, vigor and hardiness are usually satisfactory but productiveness is a weak point. The amateur should always plant this variety and it would seem as if it were more often worth planting in commercial orchards.