NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 
<American prune has come more and more 
into favor in Europe. In fact, so desirabie a 
prune is it that the French packers in 
season of scarcity at home import the Cali- 
fornia prunes, give them their own method 
of treatment, re-pack them, pay the Ameri- 
can duty, and send them back in_ large 
quantities to the United States as prime 
French prunes. California prunes are also in 
marked demand for home consumption in Eu- 
rope, largely supplanting the domestic product. 
This is shown by the steadily increasing export 
prune trade of the United States to Europe, 
and along with this goes a steadily decreasing 
import trade. In 1890-91 nearly thirty-five 
millions of pounds of prunes were imported 
into the United States, at a value of over two 
million dollars. Year by year since thet time, 
with occasional fluctuations, the importation 
has declined, until, in 1904, the thirty-five mil- 
lions of pounds shrank to less than five hun- 
dred thousand pounds, at a value of only 
$47,000. And out of the total amount im- 
ported a very large proportion was grown in 
the United States as noted, exported and 
re-imported. 
122 
