214 PRUNDS ARMENIACA. 



rally siipposod to liavc originated in AriiiPiiia, Imt Rogiiior and Sicklcr assign it 

 a iKirallol hot wren the Niger and Monnt Atlas. Pallas considers il to be a native 

 ol the wliole of the Caucasus; and Thnnberg describes it as a very" large, spread- 

 ing, branchy tree, in Japan. Both in Caucasus and China it is more frequent on 

 mountains than on plains, which affords a j)roof of its great hardiness. 



Tlus tree was cultivated by tiie Konians, and is described by Pliny and 

 Dioscoridcs. It is said to have been brought from Greece to Marseilles by the 

 Phoca3an colonists, some time in tiie middle ages. It aj)pcars from Turner's 

 "Herbal," that it was cultivated in Hngland in l.')r)2; and in Hackluyt's "Re- 

 membrancer,'' published in 15S2, it is allirmed, that the apricot was brought 

 from Italy to England by Wolfe, a French priest, gardener to Henry VIII., in 

 1521. 



The introduction of the apricot into the United States probably dates back to 

 the early periods of their settlements. It is at present almost as universally cul- 

 tivated in both Europe and America for a fruit-tree, as the peach ; and is more 

 deserving of a place in the shrubbery than that tree, on account of its more vig- 

 orous growth, and its much handsomer general shape, independently of its more 

 beautiful leaves. 



Soil, Culture, i^c. Very few trees attain the appearance of maturity so soon 

 as the apricot. A standard ten or twelve years planted, in good loamy, rich 

 soil, will grow to a height of twenty feet, with a head twenty-five feet in diam- 

 eter, presenting all the appearance of a tree of twenty or thirty years' growth. 

 Hence the value of this tree m planting the grounds of a small villa, where unity 

 of expression and immediate effect is desired. This tree requires very nearly the 

 same soil and mode of culture as the nectarine and domestic plum, and is subject 

 to the attacks of many of the same insects, and frequently loses its fruit before it 

 arrives at maturity. The trees are generally budded on stocks of the plum, and 

 in the higher latitudes are trained against walls. There are several varieties 

 cultivated especially for their fruit, among which the Breda, with its brilliant 

 scarlet buds, the Moorpark, and the Blotched-leaved Roman, stand pre-eminent. 

 There is also the Peach Apricot, with large fruit, supposed to be a hybrid between 

 the peach and apricot, which is much esteemed by some. 



Properties and Uses. The fruit of the Apricot, like that of the peach and 

 plum, is wholesome and delicious, when taken in moderate quantities, but it 

 cannot be indulged in, to excess, with impunity. When fully ripe it may be 

 used as a dessert at table, or may be dried, or preserved in sirup, like the peach 

 and plum. On the African oases, it is dried, and carried to Egypt, as an article 

 of commerce. In China, the natives employ it variously in the arts. From the 

 wild tree, the pulp is of little value, but it has a large kernel, from .which they 

 extract an oil. They preserve this fruit wet in all its flavour ; and they make 

 lozenges of the clarified juice, which afford an agreeable beverage, when diluted 

 in water. 



