116 FAMILIAR TREES 



Caucasus, being only naturalised in Europe, and 

 probably of Roman introduction so far as the West, 

 including our own islands, is concerned. In the pre- 

 historic remains from the pile-dwellings in the Swiss 

 lakes, stones of the Sloe and BuUace occur, but not 

 those of the true Plum. 



The close relationship of these forms was early 

 recognised. Thus William Turner, in his "Names 

 of Herbes'' (1548), writes: — 



" Prunus is called In greeke Coccimelea, in englishe a plnm tree, 

 in duohe ein pslaumen baume, in frenche Vun prunier. Prunus 

 sylvestris is called in english a slo tree, or a sle tree."' 



Though, strange to say, Shakspere never mentions 

 our native forms under their familiar names of Sloe, 

 Blackthorn, or Bullace, he frequently alludes to culti- 

 vated Plums, to Prunes, and once (Second Part of 

 Henry VI., act ii., scene 1) to Damsons ; and there can 

 be Uttle doubt that English gardens in his time con- 

 tained a considerable number of varieties of the fruit 

 Gerard, in his " Herball" (1597), says:— 



" To write of Plums particularly would require a peculiar volume. 

 . . . Every clymate hath his owne f ruite, far different from that of 

 other countries ; my selfe have threescore sorts in my garden, and 

 all strange and rare ; there be in other places many more jcommon, 

 and yet yearly commeth to our hands others not before knowne." 



We cannot but admire the beauty of our common 

 Blackthorn ; and yet how often in the early spring do 

 we not long to see the last of its beautiful snowdrifts 

 of blossom and of the bitter winds of that " Black- 

 thorn winter" which almost invariably accompanies 

 their presence 



