Plum
The origin of many of our cultivated Plums is quite unknown; several of them, no doubt, have sprung from Prunus domestica, but, in all probability, other wild types have contributed. According to some authorities, the Sloe, or Blackthorn (P. spinosa), the Bullace (P. insititia), and the Wild Plum (P. domestica) are merely sub-species, and are united into one species under the name of P. communis, which is found in a wild state throughout Europe and West Africa. "The Sloe is confined to Europe, the Bullace extends to North Africa and the Himalaya" (Hooker). The Plum is a deciduous tree, attaining a height of from 15ft. to 20ft., and forming a moderately spreading head. From the amount of information which is at command regarding Plums, it would seem that various sorts were introduced into this country from France and Italy during the fifteenth century. The fruit has, therefore, been grown from a remote period, and the date when its cultivation first began is very uncertain. Plums are the hardiest of stone-fruits, and the crop is one of the most remunerative, in all favourable seasons, from market gardens and cultivated orchards. In private establishments, the fruits of all the best varieties are much valued for dessert, and those of the coarser and less highly-flavoured ones prove invaluable for cooking and preserving. For the latter purpose, hundreds of tons of the fruit are, in a favourable season, sent from the surrounding market gardens to London alone. The crop is therefore one of the most important, both for market and for private consumption. A fruiting branch is represented at Fig. 204.
