Plum Gouger

Plum \Plum\, n. [AS. pl[=u]me, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. ?, ?.
   Cf. {Prune} a dried plum.]
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   1. (Bot.) The edible drupaceous fruit of the {Prunus
      domestica}, and of several other species of {Prunus};
      also, the tree itself, usually called {plum tree}.
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            The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties
            of plum, of our gardens, although growing into
            thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the
            blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. --G.
                                                  Bentham.
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   Note: Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from
         the {Prunus domestica} are described; among them the
         {greengage}, the {Orleans}, the {purple gage}, or
         {Reine Claude Violette}, and the {German prune}, are
         some of the best known.
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   Note: Among the true plums are;

   {Beach plum}, the {Prunus maritima}, and its crimson or
      purple globular drupes,

   {Bullace plum}. See {Bullace}.

   {Chickasaw plum}, the American {Prunus Chicasa}, and its
      round red drupes.

   {Orleans plum}, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size,
      much grown in England for sale in the markets.

   {Wild plum of America}, {Prunus Americana}, with red or
      yellow fruit, the original of the {Iowa plum} and several
      other varieties.
      [1913 Webster] Among plants called plum, but of other
      genera than {Prunus}, are;

   {Australian plum}, {Cargillia arborea} and {Cargillia
      australis}, of the same family with the persimmon.

   {Blood plum}, the West African {H[ae]matostaphes Barteri}.

   {Cocoa plum}, the Spanish nectarine. See under {Nectarine}.
      

   {Date plum}. See under {Date}.

   {Gingerbread plum}, the West African {Parinarium
      macrophyllum}.

   {Gopher plum}, the Ogeechee lime.

   {Gray plum}, {Guinea plum}. See under {Guinea}.

   {Indian plum}, several species of {Flacourtia}.
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   2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
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   3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant
      language, the sum of [pounds]100,000 sterling; also, the
      person possessing it.
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   4. Something likened to a plum in desirableness; a good or
      choice thing of its kind, as among appointments,
      positions, parts of a book, etc.; as, the mayor rewarded
      his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for
      handsome pay
      [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

   5. A color resembling that of a plum; a slightly grayish deep
      purple, varying somewhat in its red or blue tint.
      [PJC]

   {Plum bird}, {Plum budder} (Zool.), the European bullfinch.
      

   {Plum gouger} (Zool.), a weevil, or curculio ({Coccotorus
      scutellaris}), which destroys plums. It makes round holes
      in the pulp, for the reception of its eggs. The larva
      bores into the stone and eats the kernel.

   {Plum weevil} (Zool.), an American weevil which is very
      destructive to plums, nectarines, cherries, and many other
      stone fruits. It lays its eggs in crescent-shaped
      incisions made with its jaws. The larva lives upon the
      pulp around the stone. Called also {turk}, and {plum
      curculio}. See Illust. under {Curculio}.
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