More plums

Friday 15th August, 1823 –Through the medium of Dr Hosack I learned of a fine plum named ‘Washington’, a name which every product in the United States which is great or good is called. Purchased by a Mrs Miller about thirty years since out of the flower market. After standing in her garden for five years it was during a thunderstorm cleft nearly to the bottom, which caused its death so far as was rent. 

Next Spring it sent up suckers and the great Wm Boulmer, Esq., obtained one of them, which he planted in his garden and in a few years produced fruit without any grafting; the fruit has improved every succeeding year, the taste being the best. The original soil was removed and three cartloads of good soil from a cultivated field taken in and the tree-plant given a little decayed vegetable matter as a manure [a compost mulch, in other words]. He lays its roots totally bare during the winter months. I put the above fruit in spirits.

After 194 years, David, some things simply haven't changed a bit. The plum tree on my allotment gets an annual mulch of compost and any surplus plums are preserved in vodka! Yummy alcoholic plums!