SOIL AND SITUATION 59 



The Bullace is classed by some botanists under the 

 Prunus Instititia, and they place the damson in the same 

 species, but the latter is round, the former oval. The 

 damson, a small plum, may be safely classed with the 

 Prunus Communis. It derives its name from the city of 

 Damascus. Damascena is the word used in Pliny for 

 the district round Damascus, and damson originally 

 meant the Damascus plum. The Chinese have for cen- 

 turies cultivated plums, and in the United States plums 

 from Japan are coming rapidly into use, and appear to 

 be more successful there than in the British Isles. We 

 find the word prunum, a plum, in Vergil, Ovid, Martial, 

 and other Roman writers. Prunus, a plum tree, is 

 derived directly from the Greek ; prunus si/vestris, in 

 Columella and Pliny, is supposed to mean the black thorn 

 or sloe tree. These illustrations prove that the plum has 

 been known for ages, and that its value is recognised 

 in every part of the world. Our word plum is plainly 

 derived from the Latin (probably through the Anglo- 

 Saxon), and the word prune is almost identical with 

 prunum, 



SOIL AND SITUATION 



The plum is not so particular as the pear about soil, 

 yet it has its preferences. It is not so deep-rooting as 

 the apple and pear are j the character therefore of the 

 lower soil is not so important. But stone-fruits require 

 lime. In planting for profit, no site should be selected 

 for a large plantation if the soil is deficient in lime. It 

 is true that lime can be added, but this plan may suit 

 a private garden, not a large plantation for profit. The 

 plum being hardier than the pear will flourish in most soils, 

 even in a heavy loam, but not in light sandy or gravelly 

 soil. In the latter case, something may be done by 

 heavy manuring and frequent removal. The trees in 



