274 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



The apricot-like plum seems intermediate between the wild plum and the 

 wild apricot. The varieties cultivated for their fruit have, in general, much 

 larger leaves, an4 stronger young shoots, than the other sorts; they flower 

 later, their blossoms are larger, and their fruit, particularly such sorts as the 

 magnum bonum and the diamond plum, several times as large; the latter being 

 upwards of 2^ in. long. These fruit-bearing varieties are in universal culti- 

 vation in temperate climates ; and for every thing of interest relating to them, 

 as such, we refer to our Encijclo'pcedia of Gardening, edit. 1835, p. 920. The 

 use of the fruit in domestic economy, in Britain, for the dessert, and for 

 making tarts and puddings, is well known. In France, plums are used prin- 

 cipally dried, as an article of commerce, and they are known under the name 

 of brignoles, prunes, and French plums. The different modes of preserving 

 plums in France will be found detailed at length in the 1st edit, of this work, 

 and in our Suburban Horticulturht. 



^ 4. P. (d.) myroba'lana L. The Myrobalan, or Cherry, Plum. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 680. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 533. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 500. 



Synonymes. P. MyrobEllan Du Ham. ; P. myrobalana Lois. ; P. cerasifera Ehrh. Beitr. 4. p. 17. ; 



Virginian Cherry ; Early Scarlet Plum ; Prunier myrobalan, or Cerisette, Fr. ; Kirschpflaume, 



Ger. 

 Engravings. Du Ham. Arb. Fr. 2. p. 111. t. 2. fig. 15. ; the plate of this tree in Arb. Brit., 1st edit., 



vol. V. ; and our^. 440. 



440. Prxlnus (d.) myrobdlana. ; 



Spec. Char., ^c. Sepals narrow. Fruit globose, depressed at the base ; um- 

 bilicus depressed; nut with a small point. {Dec. Prod.) A low true. 

 Europe, or, according to some, North America. Height 15 ft. to 30 ft. Cul- 

 tivated in gardens for an unknown period. Flowers white ; March amli 

 April. Fruit cordate, red, rarely produced in England. 



Variety. | 



It P. (rf.) m. 2 foliis variegdtis N. Du Ham. has variegated leaves. ' 



Though we consider this nothing more than a variety of the common plum 

 yet it is so distinct, both m the habit of the tree and the colour of the fruit 

 that we think it more convenient to keep it apart. Its flowers are produced 

 as early as those of the sloe ; and, the plant being more tender than thai 

 species, it seldom produces fruit in England, except when the blossoms an! 

 protected. It forms a good stock for varieties intended to be kept dwarf. Ii[ 

 India the fruit is sold to dye black. 



