CHAP. II. DESSERT FRUITS. 243 



introduction in the Nilgherries met with better success. Mr. L. 

 Berkeley informed me that they had in the Saharunpore district 

 trees of the Brussels or Breda kind, which bore fruit that was 

 tolerably good to eat from the tree. Dr. Gibson states that it 

 " blossoms abundantly at the level of Poonah, but does not ripen 

 fruit."* The tree is found in some of the gardens about Calcutta, 

 but not in a very thriving condition. Mention is made in the 

 ' Journal of the Agri-Horticultural Society' of " an Apricot 

 grown in his garden at Howrah, which Mr. P. fiomfray con- 

 sidered a very good specimen of the fruit in point of size, being 

 about four and a half inches in circumference.''! 



In the same Journal it is also stated that " at the Horticul- 

 tural Show of April, 1850, Apricots from Mr. Stalkart's garden 

 showed satisfactorily to what perfection they may be brought." 

 I have seen the trees in Mr. Stalkart's garden : they are small, 

 and not very thriving. The little fruit they produce, Mr. Stal- 

 kart told me, though answering tolerably well for preserving, 

 never ripened sufficiently to be palatable, eaten uncooked. 



The Apricot, I am told by Captain I. Temple of Sangor, who 

 had imported three kinds, the Beauge, Moorpark, and Hemskerk, 

 grows with amazing vigour when budded upon the Peach-stock. 



Primus domestica. 

 PLUM. 



Aloocha. 



The Plum has been grown in the vicinity of Calcutta a great 

 many years ; but of what variety it is difficult to say, for the 

 plants have hardly done more than just set their fruit, and then 

 drop them. A rather small dark kind of Plum, however, seem- 

 ingly the fruit in its original wild state, is met with in most 

 parts of India, and even as near Calcutta as at Hooghly. The 

 fruit is uneatable unless cooked, but in that condition is very 

 delicious in tarts, preserves, and puddings. 



In the North-West Provinces plants of two or three varieties 

 used to be issued from the Saharunpore Botanical Gardens ; one 

 in particular ripening of a fine amber colour. But these, too, 

 were hardly palatable, except when cooked or preserved, and 

 for this purpose they were equal to the finest European kinds. 



* Spry's ' Plants for India,' p. 63. f Vol. iii. p. 56. 



R 2 



