LUTHER BURBANK 
When this blend of bloom and velvet was 
noted, experiments were made to determine how 
much handling it would withstand. A dozen 
plumcots were passed around from hand to hand 
possibly hundreds of times, and then left to decay, 
the condition of the velvet bloom being noted from 
time to time. 
While there was a slight decrease in the bril- 
liancy of the bloom, yet it persisted to a surprising 
degree even after the flesh of the plumcot had 
decayed. 
The accompanying color photograph prints 
show clearly the difference in appearance between 
the plum and the plumcot after being subjected 
to handling. 
The value of this characteristic is greater than 
might first be estimated. Plums lose their bloom 
to a great extent, even on the tree—by brushing 
of leaves or chafing together. Wherever foliage 
or other fruit touches it, the bloom is injured or 
destroyed beyond repair. It is of course impossible 
to get the plum to market without rubbing off the 
greater part of the bloom and giving the fruit a 
mussy appearance. In making the photographs 
in these books, in fact, it has been found difficult, 
first to find the fruit which has a perfect bloom on 
the tree; and second, to get the plum in front of 
the camera without defacing it. 
[250] 
