Editing Plum (section)

==History==

Plums are likely to have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans.<ref>{{cite book|title=Horticultural Reviews (Volume 23)|editor=Jules Janick|year=1998|isbn=978-0471254454|publisher=Wiley}}</ref> Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found in the wild, only around human settlements: ''[[Prunus domestica]]'' has been traced to East European and Caucasian mountains, while ''[[Prunus salicina]]'' and ''[[Prunus simonii]]'' originated in China. Plum remains have been found in [[Neolithic]] age archaeological sites along with olives, grapes and figs.<ref>{{cite web|title=The origins of fruits, fruit growing and fruit breeding|author=Jules Janick|publisher=Purdue University|year=2005|url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/NEWCROP/pdfs/origins-fruit-growing-breeding.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521204917/http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/pdfs/origins-fruit-growing-breeding.pdf|archive-date=2013-05-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Chemical analyses of organic residues in archaeological pottery from Arbon Bleiche|author=Spangenberg|journal=Journal of Archaeological Science|volume=33|issue=1|date= January 2006|pages=1–13|doi=10.1016/j.jas.2005.05.013|display-authors=etal}}</ref> According to [[Ken Albala]], plums originated in [[Iran]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Albala|first=Ken|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTo6c_PJWRgC&q=lavash+originated+iran&pg=PA240|title=Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia|date=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37626-9|language=en|page=240}}</ref> They were brought to Britain from Asia.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lyle|first=Katie Letcher|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/560560606|title=The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them|publisher=[[FalconGuides]]|year=2010|isbn=978-1-59921-887-8|edition=2nd|location=Guilford, CN|pages=107|oclc=560560606|orig-year=2004}}</ref>

An article on plum tree cultivation in [[Andalusia]] (southern Spain) appears in [[Ibn al-'Awwam]]'s 12th-century agricultural work, ''Book on Agriculture''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ibn al-'Awwam|first=Yaḥyá|author-link=Ibn al-'Awwam|title=Le livre de l'agriculture d'Ibn-al-Awam (kitab-al-felahah) |year=1864|location=Paris|publisher=A. Franck|translator=J.-J. Clement-Mullet |pages=319–321 (ch. 7 - Article 42)|url=https://archive.org/details/lelivredelagric00algoog/page/n14/mode/2up |language=fr|oclc=780050566}} (pp. [https://archive.org/details/lelivredelagric00algoog/page/n427/mode/1up 319]–321 (Article XLII)</ref>

Plum cultivation is recorded in medieval monasteries in England. A garden with 'ploumes' and 'bulaces' is referred to by [[Geoffrey Chaucer|Chaucer]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |title=The Oxford companion to food |date=2014 |publisher=Oxford Univ. Press |isbn=978-0-19-967733-7 |editor-last=Jaine |editor-first=Tom |edition=3. ed. / ed. by Tom Jaine |location=Oxford}}</ref>

The cultivation of plums increased during the 17th and 18th centuries. During this period [[Greengage|greengages]] were given their English name and the [[Mirabelle plum]] became firmly established.<ref name=":1" /> Advances in the development of new varieties in England were made by [[Thomas Rivers (nurseryman)|Thomas Rivers]]. Two examples of River's work are the varieties Early Rivers and Czar. Both are still esteemed. The fame of the [[Victoria plum]], first sold in 1844, has been put down to good marketing rather than any inherent quality.<ref name=":1" />