ROSACEA. 119 
taken that only the stalk is touched, and the frnit gently laid on vine-leaves in a 
basket. When the baskets are filled so that the Plums touch each other, they are 
removed into the fruit-room and treated in the way described before, but so carefully 
that the bloom is retained on the fruit even after it is dry. Prunes have a medicinal 
reputation, and are retained in the British Pharmacopeeia in the preparation known as 
Lenitive Electuary. They are also frequently used in domestic medicine as gentle and 
pleasant aperients with senna and such-like combinations. In some parts of Germany 
a spirit is distilled from Plums, known by the names of Zwetschen Wasser and Raki. 
Both these liquors resemble Kirsch Wasser. Raki is made by fermenting apples, 
ground or crushed, with bruised Plums. The spirit produced it said to be very agree- 
able to the taste, and, though not so strong, to be more wholesome than brandy. In 
the south of France an excellent spirit is obtained from the bruised pulp and kernels 
of Plums fermented with honey and flour by distillation in the usual manner. The 
wood of the Plum is very compact and hard, and is used for many purposes, especially 
in the manufacture of musical instruments ; but it does not often attain a large size. The 
bark yields a yellow dye which is readily taken by woollen fabrics, 
Sus-Genus II1.—CERASUS. Tournef. 
Young leaves simply folded. Flowers lateral or pseudo-terminal, 
in pairs, Sahel: or racemes, expanding at the same time as the 
young leaves or after them. Drupe glabrous externally ; stone sub- 
globular, smooth. 
Section [.—EU-CERASUS. Torrey & Gray. 
Flowers from lateral leafless buds appearing before or with the 
leaves. Pedicels umbellate, fascicled. 
SPECIES II—PRUNUS AVIUM. Linn. 
Pirate CCCCXI. 
Bromfield, F\. Vect. p. 142. 
P. Cerasus, var. Avium, Benth. Handbook Brit. Fl. p. 185. 
A tree producing a few suckers. Leaves flaccid, drooping, oval 
or obovate-oval, abruptly acuminate-cuspidate at the apex, irregu- 
larly crenate-serrate on the margins, hairy on the veins beneath. 
Umbels sessile, lax, mostly aearasctel round the leaf-buds, sur- 
rounded by scales, of which ‘he’ inner ones are not truly leaf-like. 
Calyx-tube turbinate, contracted at the top. Segments oblong, 
entire, sub-acute. Petals flaccid, spreading in the form of a cup. 
In woods and hedges, not uncommon, and generally distributed, 
except in the extreme North of Scotland. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Tree. Spring. 
