40 THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 



men's catalogs from others than the English or Americans barely mention 

 these plums. 



The Bullaces. It is impossible to distinguish between the tree-char- 

 acters of the Damsons and the Bullaces, and pomologists are far from agree- 

 ing as to what differences in the fruit throw a variety into one group or 

 the other. Some writers call a sour variety of Insititia a Damson, and a 

 sweet one a Bullace; others make color the differentiating character, 

 calling the purple plums Damsons and the light colored ones Bullaces; 

 still others call oval Insititias Damsons and round ones Bullaces. If a 

 distinction is to be made, shape seems to be the character upon which 

 it should be based. The name Bullace applies to the round shape of the 

 fruit, but when first used or by whom given it is impossible to say. It 

 is commonly used in the old herbals and pomologies of both England and 

 Continental Europe, there being many variations of the name, of which 

 bullis and bulloes are most common with the word bullum in frequent use 

 for the fruit of the Bullace tree. The varieties of Bullaces are few in 

 number, and are not largely grown, being known for most part only in 

 fruit collections, the Damsons serving all the purposes for which the 

 Bullaces would be worth growing, and to better advantage. 



The Mirabelles. The Mirabelles are round, yellowish or golden, free- 

 stone Insititias, ranging from half an inch to an inch in diameter, very 

 slightly sub-acid or sweet. The trees do not differ from the type of the 

 species unless it be in even greater productiveness than the other groups 

 of Insititia, all of which bear very abundant crops. The fruits represent 

 the highest quality to be found in the varieties of this species, approaching 

 the Reine Claudes of Prunus domestica in richness of flavor. Indeed, the 

 Mirabelles may almost be said to be diminutive Reine Claudes, resembling 

 them not only in quality but in color and in shape, and so closely as to 

 lend color to Koch's ' supposition that the Reine Claudes are hybrids be- 

 tween Prunus domestica and Prunus insititia. 



In France the Mirabelles are accorded second if not first place among 

 plums, being superseded in popularity, if at all, only by the Reine Claudes. 

 They are used in the fresh state and as prunes, and are freely made into 

 conserves, preserves, jellies and jams, being found in the markets in some 

 of these forms the year round. They are much used for pastry, their size 

 being such that one layer of fruit suffices and is none too deep for a good 

 pie or tart. The fermented juice of these plums is somewhat largely used 



'Koch, Karl Deut. Obst. 150. 1876. 



