PLUM. 205 



than it generally receives. All Summer fruit should be pulled 

 a few days i)efore maturity, and put carefully away, either in 

 a fruit room or closet, till it ripens. Autumn fruits should be 

 gathered eight days before being ripe, and put away in cotton, 

 paper, or other dry material, in the dark. They will thereby 

 greatly improve in color and flavor, and will be in use longer. 

 Winter fruit should hang on the tree till frost, then be care- 

 fully pulled, and put away for two weeks ; when they should 

 be wiped with a cloth, rolled up in cotton or paper, packed in 

 boxes, or barrels of dry sand, and stored in a dry cellar or 

 room, where they will not be severely frozen. Their flavor 

 and color is greatly improved by this method. In the Winter 

 season, fruit should be brought into a warm apartment a few 

 days before using, keeping it invariably in the dark. 



PLUM. 



Prunus domestica. — Prwm^ Fr. — Pjimimenhaum^ G-er. 



There are some species of the Plum found in Asia, Europe, 

 and America. It is an ancient fruit, held in high estima- 

 tion by the Romans, who amused themselves (as history says) 

 by grafting the Plum on the Apple. We are not surprised 

 at these and other notions, for it is current in the present age 

 that black Koses can be obtained by budding on Black Cur- 

 rant bushes. When they grow, no doubt they will be black. 

 It is not acknowledged to be a first class, healthy fruit, though 

 it is admitted " they will not injure strong constitutions." 

 When perfectly ripe, a few can be eaten to advantage, as they 

 tend to keep the system open. The bark of the Wild Plum 

 is used as a substitute for Peruvian Bark, in cases of inter- 

 mitting fever. The fruit is considered indispensable as a con- 

 serve. Nothing of the kind can equal Grreen Grage jelly, and 

 preserved Washington Plums. The following are indispensa- 

 ble for a good collection : 



