OF NORTH CAROLINA. 175 



The wild fig grows in Virginia, up in the moun- 

 tains, as I am informed by a gentleman of my ac- 

 quaintance, who is a person of credit, and a great 

 traveler in America. I shall be giad to have an 

 opportunity to make trial what improvement 

 might be made of this wild fruit. 



The wild Plums of America are of several sorts. 

 Those which I can give account of from my own 

 knowledge, I will, and leave the others till a far- 

 ther discovery. The most frequent is that which we 

 call the common Indian Plum, of which there are 

 two sorts, if not more. One of these is ripe much 

 sooner than the other, and differs in the bark ; one 

 of the barks being very scaly, like our American 

 Birch. These trees, when in blossom, smell as 

 sweet as any jessamine, and look as white as a 

 sheet, being something prickly. You may make 

 it grow to what shape you please ; they are very 

 ornamental about a house, and make a wonderful 

 fine show at a distance, in the spring, because of 

 their white livery. Their fruit is red, and very 

 palatable to the sick. They are of a quick growth, 

 and will bear from the stone in five years, on their 

 stock. The English, large black plum thrives 

 well, as does the cherry, being grafted thereon. 



The American damsons are both black and white 

 and about the bigness of an European damson. 

 They grow anywhere if planted from the stone or 

 slip ; bear a white blossom, and are a good fruit. 

 They are found on the sand banks all along the 

 coast of America. I have planted several in my 



