28o 



Bulletin yr. 



and plum-like, blush, solitary or iu twos, on pubescent stalks a 

 half inch or more long, and appearing in advance of the leaves. 

 The nativity of the Purple apricot is unknown, but the species 

 is probably Asian. The fruit has been long cultivated in this 

 country, but the quality is inferior and the color unattractive, and 

 it has never become popular. The fruit is shown natural size in 

 Fig. 5. As grown in Western New York, it is uniform dull red 

 in color, like a blood peach. The flesh is red, soft and somewhat 

 fibrous, juicy, sub-acid, sour and a little bitter about the pit. The 

 quality must be considered low, although it has a refreshing 

 flavor. The fruit ripens with the latest apricots. The specimens 

 figured in Fig. 5 were picked Aug. 9, 1893. " This remarkable 

 little apricot," Downing writes, "so strongly resembles a dark 

 round plum that at a little distance it might easily be mistaken 

 for one. It is pretty good, and very hardy, and its unique appear- 

 ance renders it sought after bj^ amateurs." 



The stalked plum-like flowers of this species are shown in the 

 upper spray on the title page. The lower spray shows the flowers 

 of the common apricot. 



II. Prunus Mume. Chinese or Japanese Apricot. Fruit 

 (Fig. 8) small, yellowish or greenish, the flesh rather hard and 



dry and adhering 

 tightly to the pitted 

 stone. Treelikethe 

 common apricot but 

 with a grayer or 

 greener bark and 

 duller foliage; 

 leaves grayish- 

 green, generally 

 narrower (Fig. 6) 

 and long- pointed, 

 more or less hairy 

 along the veins be- 

 low and on the 

 shorter mostly 

 glandless stalk, thick in texture and prominently netted beneath. 

 Flowers fragrant, borne singly or in twos and sessile (without 

 stalks). 



Leaves of Prunus Mume ( left ), ajid common 

 apricot ( right ). One haf tiatural size. 



