THREE BRANCHES FROM THE SAME TREE 



The above photograph shows some typical cases of bud variations. All of these branches 

 were cut from the same tree of the new French variety. On the left is a branch bearing four 

 new French prunes and one of the ordinary variety. On the right, the branch at the top 

 has two typical new French prunes, and the one at the bottom, two typical ordinary French 

 prunes. (Fig. 3.) 



therefore are more natural than w^here 

 irrigation is practiced. Furthermore, 

 the fruits of both the Coates and the 

 ordinary French trees were not thinned. 

 While the crops on the trees of the new 

 variety were much greater than those 

 on the trees of the ordinary variety, the 

 new fruits were about twice the size 

 and weight of the ordinary ones. 



Twenty years ago the prune was often 

 the subject of many alleged jokes on the 

 part of our breakfast humorists. As a 

 result many of us in college boarding 

 houses and elsewhere looked with dis- 

 dain upon this healthful and delicious 

 fruit. Those days are gone, never to 

 return. The writer recently paid forty 

 cents for a dish of prunes served on a 

 dining car in California. The prune is 

 no longer a joke. As the price has gone 



up we have learned to prize it more 

 highly. Prunes are now shipped from 

 California all over the world. They 

 are even exported to that district of 

 France from which the prime d'Agen 

 variety came to us. It is the superior 

 dried fruit, and one which is not only 

 good to eat but has very great thera- 

 peutic value as well. 



Until recently the writer had never 

 tasted a fresh prune. When fully ripe, 

 as they are picked up for drying the 

 fresh prune is luscious. No other word 

 describes it. To those who have never 

 tasted the fresh prune there is a new 

 delight in store. For those who cannot 

 have this opportunity the stewed dried 

 prune or the delicious prune pie is the 

 next best experience. 



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