THE PLUM. 351 



wholesome as the peach or the pear, as, from their somewhat 

 cloying and flatulent nature, unless w^hen very perfectly ripe, 

 they are more likely to disagree with weak stomachs. 



For the kitchen the plum is also very highly esteemed, being 

 prized for tarts, pies, sweetmeats, etc. In the south of France 

 an excellent spirit is made from this fruit fermented with honey. 

 In the western part of this state where they are very abundant, 

 they are halved, stoned, and dried in the sun or ovens, in large 

 quantities, and are then excellent for winter use. For eating, 

 the plum should be allowed to hang on the tree till perfectly 

 ripe, and the fruit will always be finer in proportion as the tree 

 has a more sunny exposure. The size and quality of the fruit 

 is always greatly improved by thinning the fruit when it is half 

 grown. Indeed to prevent rotting and to have this fruit in its 

 highest perfection, no two plums should be allowed to touch 

 each other while growing, and those who are willing to take 

 this pains, are amply repaid by the superior quality of the fruit. 



One of the most important forms of the plum in commerce is 

 that oi prunes, as they are exported from France to every part 

 of the world. We quote the following interesting account of 

 the best mode of preparing prunes from the Arboretum Bri- 

 tannicum. 



The best prunes are made near Tours, of the St. Catherine 

 plum and the prune d'Agen ; and the best French plums (so- 

 called in England,) are made in Provence, of the Perdrigon 

 blanc, the Brignole, and the prune d'Ast ; the Provence plums 

 being most fleshy, and having always most bloom. Both kinds 

 are, however, made of these and other kinds of plums, in various 

 parts of France. The plums are gathered when just ripe 

 enough to fall from the trees on their being slightly shaken. 

 They are then laid, separately, on frames, or sieves, made of 

 wicker-work or laths, and exposed for several days to the sun, 

 till they become as soft as ripe medlars. AVhen this is the case, 

 they are put into a spent oven, shut quite close, and left there 

 for tw^enty-four hours ; they are then taken out, and the oven 

 being slightly reheated, they are put in again when it is rather 

 w^armer than it was before. The next day they are again taken 

 out, and turned by slightly shaking the sieves. The oven is 

 heated again, and they are put in a third time, when the oven 

 is one-fourth degree hotter than it was the second time. After 

 remaining twenty-four hours, they are taken out, and left to get 

 quite cold. They are then rounded, an operation which is per- 

 formed by turning the stone in the plum without breaking the 

 skin, and pressing the two ends together between the thumb 

 and finger. They are then again put upon the sieves, which 

 are placed in an oven, from w^hich the bread has been just 

 drawn. The door of the oven is closed, and the crevices are 

 stopped round it with clay or dry grass. An hour afterwards, 



