PLUMS. 



105 



MUSCLE. PR. CAT. MIL. LOND. HORT. CAT. 

 Mussel. 



The chief use made of this tree is also to form stocks on 

 which to propagate the other varieties of plums, as well as 

 peaches and apricots. The fruit is of an oblong form, and 

 dark red colour ; the stone is large in proportion, and the 

 flesh is but thin, and not of good flavour. 



BULLACE. PR. CAI. MIL. 

 Prunus insititia. 



This is a distinct species of the plum ; the tree grows twelve 

 to fifteen feet high or more, the branches are generally thorny, 

 and the leaves are on short petioles ; the fruit is acid, " but 

 so tempered by sweetness and roughness as not to be un- 

 pleasant," especially after it is mellowed by frost. A conserve 

 is made by adding to the fruit thrice its weight in sugar. An 

 infusion of the flowers sweetened with sugar is a mild purga- 

 tive, not improper for children ; the bark of the roots and 

 branches is considerably styptic. There are two varieties, 

 called the White and the Black Bullace, which produce fruit 

 of the different colours corresponding to their titles. 



BRIANCON. PR. CAT. LOISD. HORT. CAT. 

 Prunus Brigantiaca. 



This species grows only to the height of eight to ten feet ; 

 the leaves are oval and glabrous, bordered with unequal 

 indentures, and terminate in a rather acute point. The 

 flowers appear in the month of April, before the leaves ; they 

 are ranged along the branches in the same situations which 

 were occupied by the leaves of the previous season, and there 

 are usually three or four together. The fruit is nearly globu- 

 lar, smooth, of a pale yellow colour, with some reddish touches 

 next to the sun ; the flesh is yellow, partially acid before fully 

 ripe, and even at maturity not very pleasant, but of a rather 

 insipid flavour. The stone separates freely from the flesh, and 



VOL. H. 14 



