202 FRUIT CULTURE 



P. domestica. Plum. A small deciduous tree, whose native 

 country is uncertain. In Ceylon, as in other parts of the Torrid 

 Zone, the plum has not so far proved quite amenable to 

 cultivation. Certain varieties have been found to produce fairly 

 heavy crops about Nuwara Eliya, but the fruit seldom ripens, 

 as the monsoon rains usually commence when it is approaching 

 maturity. In India, however, on the hills and in the Northern 

 Provinces, plums are said to be grown with a greater measure 

 of success, the methods of cultivation there being much the 

 same as those adopted for the Peach. The fruits produced, how- 

 ever, are " hardly palatable, except when cooked or preserved;" 

 for the latter purpose they are said to be excellent. CAMERON 

 says: "Of many kinds tried at Bangalore, 'Kirk's Blue,' 

 'Greengage/ and 'Golden Drop' were the best." At Nuwara 

 Eliya, MR. COTTON found "Red-heart" (a cooking variety), "Alucha," 

 and "Greengage" to give the best results, while MR. KELLOW 

 also considers the " Hedge-plum " a fairly satisfactory variety. 



P. Bokharensis. Bokhara Plum. A species of Plum indi- 

 genous to Northern India. According to FIRMINGER, " quantities 

 of the fruit in a dried state are annually brought down from 

 Cabul. The tree grows vigorously in the Upper Provinces, 

 and is very common in Gardens in the Punjab, where it bears 

 abundantly." CAMERON adds that it is also successfully cultivated 

 on the hills in India, the fruit being made into a good preserve, 

 or stewed. 



P. Persica (= Persica vulgaris). Peach. A small slender 

 tree, supposed to be a native of China. At its best the Peach 

 in the tropics is very different to the luscious, melting fruit 

 it is in Europe and other temperate countries. Acclimatised 

 varieties are, however, grown w r ith appreciable success in certain 

 localities at elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 feet. In a rather dry 

 climate, as in the district of Wilson Bungalow in Ceylon, 

 moderately good fruits, at any rate for stewing and making jam, 

 are obtained. Here peaches are regularly grown for market, 

 the fruit being retailed at about Re. 1 per hundred. No systematic 

 cultivation, however, is followed, the trees being propagated 

 by cuttings, with but little regard for selection, manuring, etc. 

 Peaches will not thrive at low elevations in Ceylon. At Bangalore, 

 in South India, MR. CAMERON mentions an excellent variety 

 called " Indore." The same authority also states: "It is a great 

 point in the cultivation of the Peach tree to keep the roots 



