_Uses_ of the plum are various. The fine varieties, well ripened, are a good dessert-fruit; for sweetmeats and tarts they are much esteemed; they are one of the better and more wholesome dried fruits. The foreign ones are called prunes, and are an article of commerce. With a little care, we can raise much better prunes than the imported. Like all fruits, they are better for quick drying by artificial heat. The French prunes, the process of drying which is minutely described by Downing in his fruit-book, are no better than our best varieties, quickly dried by artificial heat in a dry house, or moderately-heated oven. All dried fruit is much better for having become perfectly ripe before picking. It is a great mistake to suppose unripe fruit will be good dried. [Illustration: Lawrence's Favorite.] _Varieties_ are numerous, and many of them ought to be forgotten, as is the case with all other fruits. We give a small list, containing all the good qualities of the whole:-- _Bleecker's Gage._--A hardy tree and sure bearer. Time, August. [Illustration: Imperial Gage.] [Illustration: Egg.] _Imperial Gage._--This is an American variety. It is of a lightish-green color, and excellent flavor. Season, July at the South, and September at the North. _Egg._--The above cut represents one of the egg-plums, of excellent quality in all respects. There are many of this name. _Lawrence's Favorite._--This is a fine plum, of the gage family. It was raised from the seed of the green gage; its qualities are seldom surpassed. _Washington._--This is a very good plum for high latitudes. At the South it is too dry. [Illustration: Green Gage.] [Illustration: Jefferson.] _Green Gage._--With fifteen synonyms. Excellent. _Jefferson._--One of the very best. Time, last of August. _Denniston's Purple, or Red._--Vigorous grower and very productive. Time, August 20. _Madison._--A hardy, productive, and excellent October plum. The foregoing varieties, with the little black damson-plum, so hardy and productive, and so much esteemed for preserving, will answer all needful purposes. You will find long lists in the fruit-books. Some of them are the above varieties, under different names. Procure four or five of the best you can find in your vicinity, and cultivate them, and you will need no others. [Illustration: Washington.] POMEGRANATE. This is one of the most delicious and beautiful of all the dessert-fruits. Native in China, and much cultivated in Southern Europe. It will do quite well as far north as the Ohio river. Trained as an espalier, with protection of straw or mats, it will do tolerably well throughout the Middle states. The fruit is about as large as an ordinary apple, and has a tough, orange-colored skin, with a beautiful red cheek. The tree is of low growth. Blossoms are highly ornamental, as is also the fruit, during all the season. It is cultivated as the orange.