ON THE FOUR BEST PRUNES 



At first, it is very probable, all fruits were cling- 

 stones. The stone was probably firmly attached 

 to the flesh from the time of the forming of the 

 meat to the final decay of the fruit. The stone in 

 fruit acts as a support to the flesh, to which it is 

 attached and around which it grows. 



The clingstone feature was evidently an 

 advantage to the fruit, as plum and prune seeds 

 will not germinate if thoroughly dried, and the 

 clinging meat in most of the fruits keeps the seed 

 moist for a longer time, thus helping to conserve 

 its vitality until the proper season for germination. 



Where the flesh is attached to the pit, the 

 circulation between the pit and the surrounding 

 flesh is less interrupted, probably an advantage to 

 the development of both. 



The clingstone is thus the more normal condi- 

 tion of fruits. Most fruits are clingstone until 

 brought under cultivation. All fruits, both wild 

 and cultivated, are clingstone until towards the 

 time the ripening process commences. 



That many cultivated fruits are freestone is no 

 doubt the result of artificial selection to meet a 

 very natural demand. 



Nuts furnish analogies that help us to under- 

 stand the relations of seed-stone and fruit. The 

 case of the almond, which was perhaps more 

 nearly the parent form of stone fruits, is particu- 



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