The red Mirobalane plum groweth to be a great tree quickly, spreading very thicke and farre, very like the blacke Thorne or Sloe bush: the fruit is red, earlier ripe, and of a better taste then the white.
The white Mirobalane plum is in most things like the former red, but the fruit is of a whitish yellow colour, and very pleasant, especially if it be not ouer ripe: both these had need to be plashed against a wall, or else they will hardly beare ripe fruit.
The Oliue plum is very like a greene Oliue, but for colour and bignesse, and groweth lowe on a small bushing tree, and ripeneth late, but is the best of all the sorts of greene plums.
The white diapred plum of Malta, scarce knowne to any in our Land but Iohn Tradescante, is a very good plum, and striped all ouer like diaper, and thereby so called.
The blacke diapred plum is like the Damascene plum, being blacke with spots, as small as pins points vpon it, of a very good rellish.
The Peake plum is a long whitish plum, and very good.
The Pishamin or Virginia plum is called a plum, but vtterly differeth from all sorts of plums, the description whereof may truely enforme you, as it is set downe in the [tenth Chapter going before], whereunto I referre you.
The Vse of Plums.
The great Damaske or Damson Plummes are dryed in France in great quantities, and brought ouer vnto vs in Hogs-heads, and other great vessels, and are those Prunes that are vsually sold at the Grocers, vnder the name of Damaske Prunes: the blacke Bulleis also are those (being dryed in the same manner) that they call French Prunes, and by their tartnesse are thought to binde, as the other, being sweet, to loosen the body.
The Bruneola Plumme, by reason of his pleasant tartnesse, is much accounted of, and being dryed, the stones taken from them, are brought ouer to vs in small boxes, and sold deere at the Comfitmakers, where they very often accompany all sorts of banquetting stuffes.