202 Agricultural Gazette of X.S.W. [Mar. 2, 1920- 



Yerv poor soils are also unsuitable for apricots, as trees grown under 

 favourable conditions are heavy bearers and strong groAvers, and make a 

 fairly heavy demand on the soil for potash, phosphoric acid and nitrogen, 

 that for nitrogen being especially heavy. 



Propagation and Stocks. 



Apricots are easily raised from the stone (pit) or by budding or grafting 

 the desired variety on to a suitable stock. Either of these methods of 

 propagation answers well, the wood of the apricot being by no means difficult 

 to work. For budding, always choose plump, well-matured buds, see that 

 they are cut thin, and that the stock is in good working order, viz., that the 

 bark runs freely and does not require forcing. For working over old trees, 

 budding is preferable to grafting; cut the head hard back, and bud on to the- 

 joung shoots. The question of stocks for the apricot is one of considerable 

 importance, as the success of the tree dej)ends in no slight measure on the 

 suitability of the stock as well as the soil. 



It has also been found that when peach has been used as a stock for the 

 apricot, the tree becomes liable to the attacks of aphis. It is not at all 

 advisable to use any variety of plum as a stock for the apricot. This stock 

 was for a 'ime used to some extent in America, but in latter years it has 

 been completely discarded. 



Generally speaking, the most suitable stock is the seedling apricot. It is 

 advisable in working young stock to only select vigorous plants. Of course, 

 there are exceptions with regard to the selection of stocks, and it has been 

 found in the County of Cumberland that the peach, which is generally used 

 there, is fairly satisfactory. 



Site for the Orchard. 



This is really a controversial question - a question of frost versus high 

 winds. For instance, if an easterly aspect is selected, the north-westerly 

 winds, which are the most prevalent, are certainly avoided, but, on the other 

 hand, the rays of the sun are met directly it appears on the horizon. The 

 damage attributed to frost is not actually caused by intense cold, but by the 

 rapidity of thawing. Looking at the matter from this point of view, an 

 easterly aspect is certainly a great disadvantage. 



With a westerly aspect, the sun's rays will not strike the site until late in 

 the morning, thus minimising the damaging effects of a sudden thaw, but as 

 against this advantage, the site would be immediately exposed to our pre- 

 ralent winds. The same objections apply in a greater measure to a north- 

 westerly aspect. Taking everything into consideration, and having selected 

 a site above the frost zone, an easterly as[)ect should be chosen; if, on the 

 other hand, the site is in the frost zone, a westerly aspect should be selected. 



The land should not be very steep, as owing to the high state of cultivation 

 in which it is necessary to maintain it in order to retain the moisture, the soil 

 j8 apt to wash badly during heavy rains ; as there are often thunder showers. 



