THE PLUM. 159 



The fruit is most delicious for eating in a raw state for 

 dessert, for cooking in tarts, or by itself; also for jam- 

 making', bottling, etc. Immense quantities of fruit are 

 annually imported in a dry state under the name of 

 " prunes " from France, Germany, and California. Green 

 Gages, too, packed in dainty boxes, reach us from 

 France early in the season ; and of late years we get large 

 importations of ripe fruit from South Africa. But, as we 

 are concerned more in this volume with the growth of 

 Plums in gardens, we need not enlarge further on the 

 latter subject. See also chapter on the " Bullace and 

 Damson." 



In recent years some attention has been paid to Japa- 

 nese Plums, but so far they have only been grown under 

 glass- Messrs. Bunyard and Co. describe some half- 

 dozen varieties in their catalogue, and incidentally men- 

 tion that one variety, the Burbank, has fruited in their 

 Maidstone Nurseries. They are reputed to be very fer- 

 tile, and to yield fruit of good quality. Still, as we have 

 so many excellent sorts in cultivation, there is but little 

 need to trouble about the Japanese kinds. 



Propagation. The usual and best method is by bud- 

 ding in July. Grafting by the whip or cleft method is 

 sometimes practised, but it is not a satisfactory plan, as 

 there is a risk of gumming occurring at the point of union. 

 Really budding is the better plan of the two. The Plum 

 is readily reared frcm seed by sowing stones taken from 

 perfectly ripe fruit, and burying them 3in. apart in drills 

 3in. deep and ift. asunder. As, however, seedlings rarely 

 produce varieties of any merit, this plan is only worth 

 practising for rearing plants for stocks. Suckers should 

 be avoided in any case, as they would be liable to be con- 

 tinually throwing up further suckers from their roots. 

 Layering is a simple process, and consists of pegging 

 down to, and partly burying in, the soil any healthy 

 shoots. ' Such trees are, however, not so good as those 

 increased by budding. See chapter on " Propagation." 



