he adulteration of that commodity. The
fruit is a plum about the size of a small filbert, of a dark purple
hue, coated with a most exquisite blue bloom. The flesh is of a sharp,
bitter acid, yet not unpleasant even when raw; when fully ripe, it
makes a tolerable preserve, or pudding, and the juice, when well
fermented, makes a wine not unlike new port. The sloe, as well as the
cherry, and all other plants of its tribe, contains in it a portion of
prussic acid; but the quantity is so minute, that there can be no
injury derived from the use of either the leaves or fruit of most
species. The common laurel (_Cerasus laurocerasus_) contains it in
greater quantity than any other kind, but even of this the berries may
be eaten with impunity, and are freely used by gipsies, who both eat
them raw and make them into puddings.

The other plum of our wilds is the bullace (_P. institia_), the fruit
of which differs from that of the sloe in being larger and less
bitter. It is sometimes black, but oftener yellowish and waxy,
beautifully tinted with red, and makes better pies and puddings than
the sloe, for which purposes it is often sold in the markets. In
Provence, where, as in other parts of France, this plum abounds, it is
called 'Prune sibanelle,' because, from its sourness, it is impossible
to whistle after eating it! The entire plant is used for much the same
purposes as the sloe. Old Gerard says, that its leaves are 'good
against the swelling of the uvula, the throat, gums, and kernels under
the ears, throat, and jaws.' How far modern physicians might agree in
this is doubtful; possibly they might class the prescription, as he
does some of those of his predecessors, under the head of 'old wives'
fables.' Both the plum and cherry send out from their bark a sort of
gum, which exudes freely, particularly in old and diseased trees. It
was formerly supposed to be sovereign against some diseases. The
number of varieties which have been grafted on these wild stocks is
very great. So long ago as 1597, Gerard recounts: 'I have threescore
sorts in my garden (at Holborn), all strange and rare: there be in
other places many more common, and yet yeerely commeth to our hands
others not knowne before.' The bark of both kinds of wild plum was
formerly much used in medicine, and considered equal to the Peruvian
bark in cases of intermittent fever. But we must not forget, in
recounting the _uses_ of these and other fruits, to take into our
cons