This variety is not popular in New York nor does it deserve to be, as there are many better plums of its season. Its faults are small size, an insipid flavor and poor keeping qualities. Morocco is one of the oldest of the cultivated plums. It has been known in Europe for three centuries at least and is undoubtedly much older, its early history not having been written. It is not known when the variety was introduced into this country but it has been grown in the Southern States for many years under the name Mogul. About 1894, it was reintroduced from England by the W. & T. Smith Nursery Company of Geneva, New York, under the name Mogul.
Tree large, vigorous, round-topped, rather tender to cold, productive; branchlets covered with heavy pubescence; leaves oval, one and three-quarters inches wide, three inches long; margin finely serrate or crenate; petiole short, thick, with one or two globose glands usually at the base of the leaf; blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing after the leaves, one and one-eighth inches across, white or creamy as the buds unfold; borne on lateral buds and spurs, singly or in pairs.
Fruit late, ripening period short; below medium in size, round to oval or obovate, purplish-black, covered with thick bloom; dots conspicuous; flesh light golden-yellow, rather dry, moderately firm, sweet next to the skin, but rather acid near the center; poor; stone clinging, medium to small, oval or ovate, flattened, with rough surfaces.
MOTTLED PRUNE
Prunus domestica
This plum is placed among the leading varieties only that a full description of it may be put on record. The fruit is attractive in color but is inferior in quality. These defects are so prominent that the variety can hardly become popular. The Mottled Prune originated in Waterloo, New York, as a chance seedling in 1887; it was introduced by E. Smith & Sons, Geneva, New York.
Tree large, round and open-topped, very productive; branches stocky; branchlets heavily pubescent; leaves folded backward or flattened, oval or obovate, one and three-quarters inches wide, three and one-half inches long, thick and leathery, rugose; margin crenate, with few, small, dark glands; petiole thickly pubescent, dull dark red, glandless or with from one to three smallish glands usually on the stalk; blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing after the leaves, one inch across, white; borne in scattering clusters on lateral buds and spurs, singly or in pairs; pedicels very pubescent.
Fruit mid-season, ripening period short; one and three-quarters inches by one and one-half inches in size, ovate, dark purplish-red, somewhat mottled, covered with thick bloom; dots numerous, conspicuous; flesh pale yellow, juicy, firm, sweet, mild; of fair quality; stone free, one inch by three-quarters inch in size, oval, flattened, strongly roughened; ventral suture deeply furrowed, often with a short wing; dorsal suture with a narrow, shallow groove.
MYROBALAN
Prunus cerasifera