ROSACEA. 119 



talcct that only the stalk is touched, and the fruit gently laid on vine-leaves in a 

 basket. When the baskets ai-e filled so that the Plums touch each other, they are 

 removed into the tVuit-room and treated in the way described before, but so carefully 

 that the bloom is retained on the fruit even after it is dry. Prunes have a medicinal 

 reputation, and are retained in the British Pharmacopoeia in the jjrcparation known aa 

 Lenitive Electuary. They are also frequently used in domestic medicine as jjcntle and 

 pleasant aperients with senna and such-like combinations. In some parts of Germany 

 a spirit is distilled from Plums, known by the names of Zwetschen Wasser and Piaki. 

 Both these liquors resemble Kirsch Wasser. Kaki is made by fermenting apples, 

 gi-ound or crushed, with bruised Plums. The spirit produced it said to be very agree- 

 able to the taste, and, though not so strong, to be more wholesome than brandy. In 

 the south of France an excellent spirit is obtained from the bruised pulp and kernels 

 of Plums fermented with honey and flour by distillation in the usual manner. The 

 wood of the Plum is very compact and hard, and is used for many j)urposes, esjiecially 

 in the mauufacture of musical instruments ; but it does not often attain a large size. The 

 bark yields a yellow dye which is readily taken by woollen fabrics. 



Sitb-Genus II.— CERASUS. Tournef. 



Young leaves simply foldorl. Flowers lateral or pseudo-terminal, 

 in pairs, umbels, or racemes, expanding at the same time as the 

 young leaves or after them. Drupe glabrous externally ; stone sub- 

 globular, smooth. 



Section I.— EU-CERASUS. Torrey & Gray. 



Flowers from lateral leafless buds appearing before or with the 

 leaves. Pedicels umbellate, fascicled. 



SPECIES IL—PRUNUS AVIUM. Linn. 



Plate CCCCXI. 

 Brmifield, Fl. Vect. p. 142. 

 P. Cerasus, var. Avium, Benth. Handbook Brit. Fl. p. 185. 



A tree producing a few suckers. Leaves flaccid, drooping, oval 

 or obovate-oval, abruptly acuminate-cuspidate at the apex, irregu- 

 larly crenate-serrate on the margins, hairy on the veins beneath. 

 Umbels sessile, lax, mostly aggregated round the leaf-buds, sur- 

 rounded by scales, of which the inner ones are not truly leaf-like. 

 Calyx-tube turbiuate, contracted at the top. Segments oblong, 

 entire, sub-acute. Petals flaccid, spreading in the form of a cup. 



In woods and hedges, not uncommon, and generally distributed, 

 except in the extreme North of Scotland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Tree. Spring. 



