374 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
gathered after the heat of the day has dissipated the humidity of the 
night. When possible straw is carefully spread beneath the trees to pre- 
vent the fruit coming in contact with the earth. The prevailing custom, 
however, is to harrow the ground before gathering the Plums. Only 
such fruit as readily falls when the tree is slightly shaken is gathered. 
As soon as harvested the fruit is taken to a building, properly called the 
fruitery, where it remains for a few days to complete maturity. Prunes 
are subjected to not less than three, and frequently to four, distinct cook- 
ings before being pronounced ready for market. Each of these opera- 
tions has a special end, in sight of which great care is demanded. The 
first two preliminary cookings have for object evaporation of water con- 
tained in the fruit, and preparation for the final cooking, which dries the 
fruit and imparts a certain brilliancy much sought after by buyers. 
Sun-dried Prunes are most delicious in taste, but the exigencies of the 
trade do not permit of such long preparation. In several districts of 
France most primitive means are practised in curing the fruit for market. 
In Provence the freshly gathered fruit is plunged into pots of boiling 
water, where it remains until the water again arrives at a boiling point. 
It is then removed from the boilers, placed in baskets, and gently shaken 
until cool, when it is put upon long trays and exposed to the heat of the 
sun to complete desiccation. At Digne the Prunes are not gathered until 
completely matured. Women peel the fruit with their nails to avoid 
injury to the soft pulp. The fruit is strung upon small twigs, and in 
such fashion as not to touch. These sticks of Prunes are stuck into 
straw frames, which are suspended in the sun, until the Prunes easily 
detach from the stick : the stone is then removed, the fruit placed upon 
trays, exposed to the sun, and when thoroughly desiccated packed for 
market. 
" In the departments of Indre-et-Loire and Lot-et-Garonne immense 
ovens purposely constructed for Prune-cooking are used, but the pro- 
prietors often suffer loss from want of more commodious cooking appa- 
ratus, especially in windy or stormy weather, when the fruit falls in an 
embarrassing abundance, and he finds himself without means of imme- 
diately curing or preserving it. Most Prunes are subjected to a preliminary 
washing to free them from dust or sand that may have adhered to them 
in falling to the ground. After washing, the fruit is exposed to the sun 
and air on beds of straw, or on the trays upon which it is to be cooked, to 
rid it of all humidity. When dry it is spread in a single layer on the 
tray and at once submitted to the oven. The trays used in rural districts 
are quaint affairs, varying in form, dimensions, and construction, accord- 
ing to locality. They are made during the winter months by peasants, 
are clumsy and cumbersome, and the only excuse for their use is that 
the peasant cannot afford to buy, and is not skilful enough to make 
better ones. They are very primitive in their construction, consisting 
of a frame made of hoop to which is fastened a wicker-like bottom 
fashioned from rushes or willow twigs. They hold from twelve to 
eighteen pounds of fresh fruit, representing about four or six pounds 
of Prunes. Care is exercised in preparing the oven for the first cooking 
that the degree of heat shall not exceed 50 degrees Centigrade, and in 
the second not over 70 degrees. If the heat is too strong an ebullition 
