THE PLUM 23 
narrow; now state exactly how the seed lies in 
the plum. 
Notice also the ridges running along the outer edge 
of the stone. 
9. Lift out the stone and see how flat it is, and also 
see the ridges on the other side of the edge. 
Make a statement concerning these ridges and 
the edge. 
Press the pit between the finger and thumb. Press 
the edge of the desk between the finger and 
thumb of the other hand. Compare the hard- 
ness of each. Would you describe the plum 
stone as “hard” or “very hard” ? 
Cross Section 
10. Cut across section through the middle of the second 
plum. Open the halves so that the stone will be 
left sticking up in one half. Now notice that the 
stone lies just the same way in this section as it 
did in the vertical section; that is, the long and 
narrow way of the stone lies in the direction of 
the long and narrow way of the plum. 
Look on the outside of one half of the plum for the 
groove; does this lie over a flat surface of the 
stone, or over an edge? 
