Mar. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 201 



Apricot Growing in New South Wales* 



W. J. ALLEN. 



The apricot [Armenlaca vulgaris) is a native of Armenia, Arabia, and the 

 liigher regions of Central Asia. Its date of introduction into England is 

 'uncertain; but Parkinson, an old writer on fruit, mentions the introduction 

 of the Algier apricot by John Trandescante, from Algiers, in 1620, thus 

 •showing that the fruit has been known in England for a considerable time. 

 In England, however, the cultivation of the apricot is restricted to favourable 

 localities; and though fruit of very high merit is grown, it is only on south 

 walls and where it can be protected from spring frosts, as, on account of its 

 •early blossoming, it is very apt to be injured in exposed situations. 



The uses of the apricot are many and varied; both in a fresh and 

 preserved state, it is largely used as an article of diet, and a valuable oil 

 is obtained from the kernels. As a fresh fruit for dessert it is decidedly the 

 best of its season. It makes an excellent jam, cans well, and dries or 

 evaporates well, keeping its flavour without deterioration, and, when properly 

 cooked, coming out nearly equal in quality to newly-gathered fruit. 



Of late years the apricot has to a great extent gone out of favour. This 

 is not attributed to lack of popularity of the fruit, but more to the fact that, 

 Ti})ening about Christmas time, the fruit is very inconvenient to handle, as 

 at that particular time labour is scarce and, if obtainable, very costly. It is 

 Advisable under these circumstances that a grower should not plant apricots 

 in extensive areas, but should confine himself to a few select varieties and 

 an area not larger than he can handle without depending too n\uch on outside 

 labour. 



Suitable Districts and Soils. 



Except in the coldest parts of the State, the north-eastern seaboard, and 

 parts of the arid interior where there is no water available for irrigation, the 

 apricot grows well, but if the best results are to be obtained then suitable 

 localities must be chosen. 



The first essential in the soil is drainage, and if this is good, then apricots 

 "will grow in most soils, provided the trees are worked on suitable stocks. 

 Though apricots will grow in a variety of soils, still they do very much 

 Tsetter in some than others, and the soils that seem best suited for this fruit 

 ^re fairly rich loams of medium texture — deep, friable, and possessing good 

 natural drainage. They may be black, red, or chocolate in colour — varying 

 according to districts. Sandy, loamy land or alluvial soils are not so good 

 for apricots, as, though the trees planted in rich soils make a very heavy 

 growth, they are usually not such good bearers, nor is the fruit of as good 

 quality or as firm in texture as that grown on soils such as those described. 



