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order jRosacw, which embraces so many of our cultivated fruits. Prmms 

 comes fromyv///f, the Greek name of the fruit. As to the origin ot the 

 English name there are no records, but probably it is derived in some way 

 from Prunus. The principal varieties now in cultivation are supposed to 

 have originated from Prmin* domestica, a species indigenous to the United 

 Kingdom and the greater portion of Europe and Northern Asia. In its- 

 wild state this species is a low-growing tree thickly covered with sharp 

 strong spines, and producing small astringent fruit, which is very different 

 in many respects to that of the cultivated varieties. Primus imsftitia. a 

 species indigenous to Great Britain (where it is commonly known as the 

 Bullace), but also found in many other parts of Europe, is supposed to be 

 the source of the Damson. The original species bears small round black 

 fruit, which possesses a sharp astringent flavour. There are, however,, 

 sub-species which bear green or pale yellow fruit, which is larger and 

 more palatable than that produced by the original type. Though 

 generally admitted to be a distinct species, yet some botanists affirm that 

 it is merely a variety of Primus domestics. The Cherry Plum is Primus 

 myrobalana (Prtutns cerasifera), also generally classed as a distinct 

 species, though some botanists maintain that it is a variety of Prmnix 

 domestica. Prunus spinota, a dwarf bushy species indigenous to the 

 United Kingdom, and common to many parts of Europe, is the Sloe or 

 Blackthorn. It includes several sub-species, all of which are thickly 

 covered with spines, and bear small Plum-like fruit which is intensely 

 astringent. 



Among other species yielding edible fruits that may be classed as 

 Plums are the following : Prunus Americana, a species indigenous from 

 Canada to Mexico, growing from ten to fifteen feet high. The fruit is 

 roundish-oval, small, thick-skinned, and includes both red and yellow 

 varieties, \\hich are known in America as the Wild .Red, or Yellow, 

 Plum, also as the Canada Plum. Flesh juicy, with a pleasant sub-acid 

 flavour. Prunus Jlokharensis, a species indigenous to Bokhara and 

 Afghanistan, yields a medium-sized fruit known as the Bokhara Plum, 

 large quantities of which are sun dried and sent to India. Prunus 

 chicasa (Primus angustifolict), a species indigenous to the southern 

 portion of the United States from Arkansas to Texas, is known as the 

 Chickasaw Plum. The fruit is round, about three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter, thin skinned, and ranges in colour from red to reddish-orange. 

 Flesh juicy and pleasantly sub-acid. This species has foliage somewhat 

 like the Peach, and varies in height according to locality from a low shrub 

 of three or four feet to a small tree of twelve to fourteen feet. Primus 

 t/ft/.s.<ftf, a species indigenous to Utah and California, is known as the 

 Utah Plum. It is a shrub, and bears in great abundance small and 

 somewhat harsh acid fruit. Prunus maritima, a low straggling shrub 

 indigenous to eastern North America, where it is mostly found near the 

 sea coast, is known as the Beach Plum and also as the Sand Plum. The 

 fruit is roundish, about an inch in diameter, and in colour ranges from 

 red to purple. The fruit is juicy but somewhat austere in flavour, though 

 it makes a good preserve. Prunus Simoni t a Chinese species, yields a 

 fruit of good quality known as the Apricot Plum. Prunus s>ibcor<lat, a 



