THE DRUPE-FRUITS 143 



in diameter, Avitli free stones. The fruits are of much better 

 quality, especially for dessert, than any other Insititias. Un- 

 fortunately these delicious Mirabelles are hardly known in 

 America. 



(4) The St. Juliens grown in America are vigorous, hardy, 

 healthy Insititias used as stocks upon which to grow other plums 

 both Domesticas and Insititias. In fruit and tree, the St. 

 Juliens are so similar to the Damsoms that they can be said to 

 be but a vigorous Damson used as a stock, although the fruits 

 are occasionally sweet, while Damsons are always sour and 

 astringent. 



The Myrobalan plum. 



Myrobalan as a name of a plum was used as early as the last 

 half of the sixteenth century, but Avhy applied to this plum 

 is not known. Myrobalan had long before been employed, and 

 is still, as the name of several plum-like fruits of the East 

 Indies, not of the genus Prunus, which are used in tanning, 

 dyeing, ink-making, and embalming. 



203. Botanical description of the Myrobalan plum. — For- 

 merly placed by different botanists under several specific names, 

 the Myrobalan plum is now called by all P. cerasifera. 



3. Prunus cerasifera, Ehrh. Tree 25 feet in height; branches upright, 

 slender, twiggy, unarmed or sometimes thorny. Leaves small, short-ovate; 

 texture firm, light green, glabrous on both surfaces at maturity, margins 

 finely and closely serrate; petiole V2 or % inch long, slender, glandless, 

 glabrous. Flowers large, % inch in diameter, expanding with the leaves. 

 Fruit small, ^/^ inch in diameter, cherry-like, red or yellow; skin thin and 

 tender; flesh soft, juicy, sweet, pleasantly flavored; stone oval, short- 

 pointed at both ends, turgid, ridged on one suture and grooved on the other. 



204. Distribution and use of Myrobalan plums. — This species 

 is generally distributed wherever plums are grown, because of 

 its use as stocks for other species. For this purpose it is held 

 in high esteem the world over. It is now employed more than 

 any other stock, and may commonly be fruiting here and there 

 from plants set for or used as stocks. It does not sprout as 

 badly as other stocks, is adapted to many soils, and the young 

 trees grow well and are readily budded, giving at the start a 

 strong and viaorous orchard tree. 



