106 



PLUMS. 



contains a bitter kernel. The Marmotte oil, {Vhuile de Mar- 

 motte,) which sells in France at double the price of olive oil, 

 is extracted from the stones of this fruit ; it is as sweet as that 

 extracted from the almond, and more inflammable. The tree 

 is of very easy culture, and its appearance is very different 

 from that of other plum trees, being intermediate between the 

 plum and the apricot. 



SLOE. Pr. cat. 



White blossomed Sloe. 



Black thorn. Pruneliej\ Prunus spinosa, 



Prunier epineux. Epine noire. 



Common Sloe. Prunallier. } j j tt * * 

 r» ... „. > Lond. Hort. cat. 



Petit prunallier. ^ 



This is naturally a large shrub, rather than a tree ; it some- 

 times attains to ten or twelve feet in height, seldom more, and 

 frequently forms only a bush of a few feet high. The large 

 branches form numerous small twigs, from one to three inches 

 in length, each of which is terminated by a thorn ; the bark is 

 of a ruddy brown colour, and in some Cases of a grayish hue ; 

 the leaves are numerous, small, and finely indented ; the flowers, 

 which are small and white, are produced in great numbers 

 along the branches, and particularly on those which are 

 thorny, and render the shrub very ornamental. The fruit is 

 small, almost globular, of a dark violet colour, and covered 

 with a thick bloom ; it is very acid, powerfully astringent, and 

 hangs on the trees until long after frost, which is said to some- 

 what ameliorate it ; when made into a conserve it is very 

 eflicacious in cases of hoarseness and common colds. The 

 Double-flowering Sloe is a very showy, beautiful shiub, of 

 rather lower growth, and produces no fruit. The leaves of 

 the Sloe are used in the vicinity of London to make an 

 imitation of tea. 



LARGE PEACH PLUM. Pr. cat. 



Prune p^che. Duh. Calvel. Bon. Jard. 

 Peach plum. Pr. Hort. 



This tree is of exceedingly vigorous growth, and appears 

 to be particularly adapted to our climate. Although intro- 



