302 Select Plants for Industrial Culture 



Prurms domestica, Linn& 



Plum-tree, Damson-tree, Prune-tree. From the Black Sea to 

 Western China. In the countries at the Mediterranean Sea numerous 

 varieties were cultivated even at the commencement of the Christian 

 era. In Norway this species endures the winter to lat. 64 (Professor 

 Schuebeler). The wood is sought for musical instruments and select 

 turnery. 



Prurms ilicifolia, Nuttall. 



California. In deep rich soil, valuable for evergreen hedges of 

 intricate growth. Fruit about ^ inch diameter, red or black, of a 

 pleasant sub-acid flavor, but somewhat astringent (Gibbons). 



Prunus insititia, Linn<. 



The Bullace. Middle and Southern Europe, North-Africa, 

 Western Asia to the Himalayan mountains. Professor Heer has 

 proved, that the lacustrine Swiss of the stone-age were already ac- 

 quainted with the Bullace as well as the Sloe. This species yields 

 some of the Damascene-Plums. P. cerasifera seems descended from 

 P. insititia, and this again may be the original wild plant of P. do- 

 mestica (Loudon, J. Hooker). 



Prunus Lauro-Cerasus, Linn& 



The Cherry-Laurel. Persia and adjoining countries. A tall shrub 

 or small tree, with evergreen remarkably shining foliage; the latter, 

 as not quickly shrivelling, valuable for garlands and for other 

 decorative purposes. From the leaves the medicinal laurel-water is 

 distilled. 



Prunus Lusitanica, Linn. 



The Portugal Cherry-Laurel. A small tree, seldom over 30 feet 

 high, not of strictly industrial value, but mentioned here as one of 

 the very hardiest among evergreen trees not coniferous. 



Prunus Mahaleb, Linn. 



South-Europe and South- Western Asia. It deserves some atten- 

 tion on account of its scented seeds and also odorous wood, the latter 

 used in turnery for pipes and other articles. The flowers are in use 

 for perfumes. The tree is hardy in Norway to lat. 63 26'. The 

 kernels are used for making marasquino-liqueur (Prof. Wittstein). 



Prunus maritima, Wangenheim. 



The Beach-Plum of Eastern North- America. A shrubby species, 

 of service not only for covering coast-sands, but also for its fruit, 

 which is crimson or purple, globular, measuring from ^ to 1 inch. 

 Information on these and other varieties and on orchard-fruits in 

 general may be sought in Hogg's " Fruit-Manual." 



Prunus Padus, Linn. . 



The Birds' Cherry-tree. Europe, Northern and Western Asia, ex- 

 tending to the Himalayas and the mountains of Northern Africa. A 



