THE FEXJDSTE. 



INTRODUCTOKY. 



It is scarcely to be expected that Kansas will ever grow jDrunes for 

 commercial purposes ; but, as the average Kansan desires to know 

 what is going on in the world and the why and the how of it, and as 

 our people are much given to experimenting, no one can tell in ad- 

 vance what wonderful results may come from horticultural experi- 

 ments ; besides, our people eat prunes, and desire to know where and 

 how they grow, the methods of "manufacture," and how to choose 

 the best. They are of the same nature as the plum, and we hope 

 these few pages on the prune, immediately following the plum, will be 

 appreciated. We hope they may enlighten some of our citizens, and 

 make instructive and interesting reading for all. Secretary 



WHAT IS A PRUNE? 



Definition in the Standard Dictionary : The edible fruit of a 

 sapindaceous tree ; a plum ; a dried plum used in cookery ; as French 

 or Turkish prunes ; California prunes. The German prune is a large, 

 dark purple plum, of oval shaj^e, often one-sided; much used for pre- 

 serving, either dried or in syrup. 



Prune tree. — A tree of the genus Prunas, which produces prunes. 



Definition in the Century Encyclopedic Dictionary : (1) A 

 plum in recent usage, especially in the western United States; a 

 plum suitable to be dried. (2) The dried fruit of one of several 

 varieties of the common plum tree. The most highly reputed prunes 

 are raised in the valley of the Loire, from the St. Julian and other 

 varieties of plum, the very finest being known as French plums. 

 There is a large and increased production of prunes in California, the 

 variety of plum chiefly grown for that purpose being identical, or 

 nearly so, with that employed in France, while the Myrobalan variety is 

 the accepted grafting stock. Prunes are produced also in Spain and 

 Portugal. German prunes are largely produced, though of second 

 quality. Bosnia and Servia export large quantities. Prunes are 

 stewe(f as a sauce or otherwise prepared, and valued for their nutri- 

 tious, demulcent and laxative properties. 



(136) 



