ua LUTliKU liLlii 



ing. But, in A Tery Urge number f pninet 



Ihit have every other essential quality Tail when 

 Mibjected to this final test It is not too much 

 to My th«t I hare developed hundreds of new 

 Tarieties of prunca that were well nigh perfect as 

 to quaitt Nvhich had no oommercial value 



whatever bet ^ ry failed to stand the acid— 

 or to be Uter. ^ -If — ^tcst. 



So the exp< .t always confronted with 



the possibility of failure at the very last, even 

 when his efforts seem to have met with complete 

 success at the earlier stages. Witii the utmost 

 solicitude, therefore, he must watch the fruit as it 

 passes through the potash bath. 



I r the skin peels from the fruit instead of 

 cracking, that particular variety is worthless, no 

 matter what its other good (qualities. 



Moreover, the cracks in the skin must be very 

 small and numerous. If they are too far apart 

 by the hundredth of an inch the prime will have 

 a rough appearance that mars it from the com- 

 mercial standpoint. If the skin is too thin, so 

 that in gathering and handling the fruit is 

 bruised, it can never make a commercial prune. 

 But, on the other hand, the skin must not be too 

 thick as then it would not be properly cut by the 

 lye. In a word, there must be the most nicely 

 balanced qualities of the skin of the fruit, and 



