22 THE PLUM 
4. Hold the plum in the right hand with the right thumb 
pressing upon one cheek. Give a quick, but 
gentle pinch with the thumb. Has the plum a 
pinch-sound 2 
5. Prick the plum with a pin. Does any juice come 
from the pin hole? What color is this? If no 
juice follows from the prick, squeeze the plum 
very gently, until a small drop is seen above the 
hole. In order to see the color touch the drop 
with the blotter. What color is the juice ? 
6. Run a pin into the side of the plum. Does the pin 
go in up to the head? Does it strike something 
hard? Try different parts of the plum and see if 
the pin meets something hard each time. 
Vertical Section 
7. Cut a vertical section of the plum by setting the knife 
in the groove and cutting around the plum. Open 
out the halves. Notice the hard, reddish brown 
stone, or pit, in the center; the greenish yellow 
pulp around it; the thin purple skin outside of the 
pulp; the lines, or threads, running through the 
pulp from the stem end. 
8. Examine the stone carefully and notice that it 
is long and narrow; the plum is also long and 
