330 DICTIONARY OF POPULAR NAMES PLUM 



productiveness. The stems of the different kinds of Musa con- 

 tain a quantity of fibre, and various machines have been invented 

 for its extraction. It is woven into textile fabrics, and paper is 

 also made of it. The most important fibre-yielding species is 

 Musa texhlis, known as Manilla Hemp (see Hemp). 



Bananas grow and fruit freely in hothouses ; bunches from 

 50 to 60 lbs. weight have been produced at Kew, and fruit 

 as large and fine-flavoured as that produced in the tropics. 



Plum (Prunus domestica), a middle-sized tree of the Plum 

 family (Drupaceae). In this country it is found in a wild state, 

 and it is also common throughout Europe and the temperate 

 regions of Asia. It is by cultivation that the numerous fine 

 varieties have been obtained, such as the Magnum Bonuni, Blue- 

 gage, Green-gage, Golden-drop, Imperatrice, Orleans, and many 

 other sorts — aU fine dessert fruits, more or less cultivated in 

 most temperate countries. The kinds called Damsons and Prunes 

 are black, and are extensively used for preserving, the latter in a 

 dried state coming to this country from Portugal and France 

 under the name of Brignole Prunes. The wood of the Plum tree 

 is hard, close, compact, beautifully veined, and takes a fine polish. 



Plum, Australian, Black and Grey, names in Australia for 

 the fruits of Cargillia arlorca and 0. australis, lofty, hard- 

 wooded trees of the Ebony family (Ebenacea}). C, arhorca is a 

 native of Queensland, attaining a height of 100 feet; the fruit 

 is about the size of a plum, of a grey colour, and eaten by the 

 natives. 0, australis grows in the lUawarra district of New 

 South Wales ; it is not such a large tree as the preceding ; it is 

 slender-stemmed, attaining a height of 30 to 40 feet ; the wood 

 is close-grained and useful for many purposes ; the fruits are the 

 size of a large plum, and of a dark purple colour. 



Plum, Blood, the name of the fruit of Hmmatostaphcs 

 Barteri, a small tree of the Cashew Nut family (Anacardiaceffi), 

 native of Western tropical Africa. It has winged leaves, and long 

 panicles of small white flowers. The fruit is about the size of a 

 plum, of a deep crimson colour ; it is acid, but not unpleasant, 

 and is eaten by the natives. 



