TO CULTIVATE THE APRICOT. 



515 



culty in making comfortable winter quar- 

 ters for itself, that we are seldom prevented 

 by it from obtaining a good crop; but in 

 light and porous soils, it increases to such 

 an extent that it usually destroys nearlythe 

 whole crop of fruit, by stinging it, and 

 causing it to fall when half grown. 



Where only half a dozen trees are culti- 

 vated, there is no mode of making Avar 

 upon this insect so sure and reliable as that 

 of jarring the trees daily, during the month 

 of May, with a pounder, (sheathed at the 

 end with india-rubber, or something to 

 break the force of the blow,) gathering the 

 insects upon two sheets spread under the 

 tree, and destroying them. 



This may seem to many to be paying 

 too dear for the whistle. But we think a 

 serious calculation will prove that it is not 

 so, even in an economical point of view. 

 Our excellent correspondent at Poughkeep- 

 sie, (see p. 406,) whose statements we en- 

 dorse for accuracy, states that, though pre- 

 viously unable to depend on his trees for a 

 single apricot, after putting the jarring sys- 

 tem in practice he actually obtained " three 

 thousand most beautiful and luscious apri- 

 cots" the first season of trial, from^re trees. 

 A few moments devoted to the task each 

 morning, if the thing is taken in hand sys- 

 tematically, will carry the trees through 

 safely ; and the probability is, that after 

 this is repeated a few seasons, the insect 

 will become greatly diminished in numbers. 

 Now, is the time to commence, and Ave 

 counsel all amateurs who would eat apri- 

 cots this season, to undertake the jarring 

 system. 



When apricot trees are to be grown on a 



large scale, then the mode previously recom- 

 mended by us of planting the orchard near 

 the hog-pen, where pigs may run at large 

 for a certain part of the year, and thereby 

 destroy the insects, is the best mode yet 

 known. 



It may not be amiss to say a word or 

 two about the most desirable sorts of apri- 

 cots, where only reliable sorts are to be 

 grown. Such are, in our estimation, the 

 Breda, Large Early, Dubois' Golden, and 

 Moorpark. The Breda, an excellent fla- 

 vored, small, round fruit, is very hardy, 

 regular and prolific bearer, and altogether 

 one of the surest to succeed in all soils and 

 sites. Dubois' Golden — a native variety — 

 is still more hardy and prolific, and, though 

 not equal in flavor, still very good for the 

 dessert, and excellent for tarts. As a pro- 

 fitable market sort, it stands at the head of 

 the list. Large Early is the finest early 

 sort, bears speedily and well, and in beauty 

 and flavor is inferior to none at any season. 

 Moorpark is the largest variety, very excel- 

 lent, but the tree is usually only a moderate 

 bearer. 



To sum up all in a few words, plant your 

 apricot trees in a cool aspect and in deep 

 soil; keep their heads as low as possible — 

 rather like bushes than trees ; prune them 

 annually by shortening-in the ends of the 

 young wood ; defend any exposed part of 

 the trunk or main branches by the protec- 

 tive wash, and deter the Curculio by jarring 

 the trees during the month of May. Ad- 

 vice about tvhat to do with the baskets full 

 of ripe, golden, ruddy-cheeked fruit, after it 

 is obtained, is, we imagine, not needed by 

 anv of our readers. 



