The Plum. 77 



The stone fruits are commonly packed in the Climax 

 basket (Fig. 25), in the half-bushel market basket, or occa- 

 sionally in larger baskets. Early and especially choice 

 varieties of the plum and cherry are sometimes marketed 

 in berry boxes. 



A — THE PLUM 



94. The cultivated plums of the United States and Can- 

 ada include the following species: 



1st. The European plum and its American seedlings 

 (Prunus domestica). The more common blue and yellow 

 plums of the markets and the dried prunes are of this spe- 

 cies. It is the choicest dessert plum. The tree bears large, 

 firm, thick, wrinkled, coarsely-toothed leaves which are 

 mostly downy beneath; the shoots are usually downy, and 

 the flowers are large, as compared with those of other spe- 

 cies. The fruit is mostly globular-pointed or oblong, with a 

 large and slightly roughened or pitted stone. This species 

 was introduced into America by the early settlers and is 

 more extensively Cultivated than any other. In the north- 

 ern Mississippi valley its flower buds are not hardy, and its 

 trunk is subject to sun-scald. 



2nd. The Japanese plum and its American seedlings 

 (Prunus tnflora). This species was widely disseminated 

 in North America from 1890 to 1900, and the showy, round- 

 ish, pointed, firm-fleshed, small-stoned, red, yellow or pur- 

 ple fruit is becoming common in our markets. The flowers 

 are small, clustered, and open earlier than those of most 

 other species. The tree is of rapid growth with usually 

 long, straight, spreading branches, and smooth, obovate, 

 finely-toothed, prominently-pointed leaves. The fruit is 

 generally inferior in quality, but the excellence of a few 

 varieties gives promise of great improvement for the spe- 



