ORIENTAL PLUMS 11 



widely varying climates and under greatly 

 diversified conditions. 



The Caucasian lives everywhere and his fruits 

 have adapted themselves to his condition. 



Summarized in a few words, the advantages 

 of the European plums are : wide diversity as to 

 colors, qualities, and flavors, and adaptability to 

 a wide range of climate. 



The faults of the European plums are these: 

 the stone is quite generally too large for the size 

 of the fruit; the fruit itself in most cases is too 

 juicy sometimes absolutely watery and there 

 is a wide range of textures to be avoided, includ- 

 ing stringiness, brittleness, and sponginess. 

 Moreover, large size and exquisite quality are 

 seldom combined. The green gage, the stand- 

 ard of excellence among the hardier European 

 plums, is quite small, and the tree is unpro- 

 ductive. And the large European plums are 

 quite often lacking in texture and flavor. 



Size and quality are not correlatives in the 

 case of these plums. 



It must be especially noted, however, that it 

 is the European plum, in some of its varieties, 

 that has the qualities of large sugar production 

 that permits it to dry readily in the sun without 

 fermentation. This variety of plum, known as 

 the prune, has been the means of building up a 



