. 
AN ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 99 
< Apricot—continued. f Apricot—continued. 
barns, outbuildings, and two sides of at least hundreds of Protection. It is almost hopeless to expect a crop unless 
ri Diigo , might- tsa utilised for the cultivation of this 
-yt T oat { „almost any garden soil will bring 
these fruits to perfection ; light, fibrous, rather sandy loam 
s E howeyer, prove most satisfactory. There. should be 
, considerable depth of soil; a yard is not too much, 
it be on a dry base, which is most important. 
soils may be improved for Apricot culture by the 
io) of an equal portion of light loam, mortar rubbish, 
In furnishing walls, the distance apart 
FIG. 131, APRICOT TREE, showing method of Wall Training. 
may vary from 2ft. between Cordons, to ote 15ft., or 
even 20ft. between Fan-shaped trees. * The roots should be 
carefully arranged, interlayered at all points with fine soil, 
and the whole covered to a depth of Sin. or 4in. Not only 
should the roots have a good covering of suitable earth, but 
a secondary one of litter, or other light material, should 
be added, to render them frost proof in winter, and drought 
‘and heat proof in summer. Newly planted trees should, on, 
no account, be allowed to get dry at the root. A thorough 
soaking of soft rain, or manure water, will often save a 
‘Fig. 132, Apricot TREE, showing method of Training suitable for 
fas Gable Ends of Cottages. 
- watering. 
crop, and restore the trees, when all other surface remedies 
or appliances’ fail. Surface sprinklings overhead with 
the garden engine, in the afternoons of bright days, are 
beneficial, and help to keep the foliage clean and healthy. 
So soon as the trees are cleared of their fruit, attention 
should be directed to the maturation of the wood. All © 
superfluous shoots should be removed, any excess of growth 
~ left on the shoots cut back, and every effort made to 
_ perfect the wood already made, rather than force the tree 
to make more. Unless the weather be very dry, 
should not be applied after this stage. 
_ Kaisha.* Fruit round, much smaller than Moorpark. Colour pale 
_ Large Red. 
the blossoms are protected, by mats or other means, from 
spring frosts.” Temporary wooden copings, from 1ft. to 2ft. 
wide, laid on iron brackets, are indispensable for warding off 
storms, and keeping other coverings away from the flowers. 
These should not be put up till the'trees are just bursting 
into bloom, and may safely be removed about the end of 
May. A few fish or other nets, spread over the trees, afford 
considerable resistance to the radiation of heat. This is 
>» 
_ assuredly one of the easiest, if not one of the most efficient, 
modes of protection. Frigi-domo and other thick shadings 
are sometimes used, bub y require to be removed from 
the trees in the day time. The thinner nets mentioned are 
generally not in use for other purposes at this time’ of 
year, and may remain over the trees altogether. Glass 
copings are the best, but, being rather expensive, they 
cannot be used by the majority of cultivators. They 
have, however, been applied with good results to trees that 
had previously failed. z 
Cropping, §c. Thinning of the fruit needs early and 
careful attention. The average of 3in. apart may be chosen 
for a maximum yield. As the fruit approach maturity, 
overhanging leaves, or branches of young wood, must be 
removed, to admit sun and light to properly ripen and 
colour them. Apricots for preserving should be gathered 
quite dry, and with the sun upon them. For dessert, they 
should be plucked in the morning, and placed in a cool 
room till wanted. 
Under Glass. The Apricot will hardly bear forcing. It 
is more*sensitive to heat than almost any other of our 
semi-hardy fruits. Practically, it is found that a confined 
atmosphere, or the slightest excess of heat, brings its blooms 
off in showers, and this, of course, mars all prospect of 
fruit. Butin cold climates and northern latitudes under 
glass is the best and only means of growing them. Should 
red-spider appear, it is proof that the roots or the atmo- — 
sphere, probably both, have been too dry; more moisture, 
and syringing over the leaves, are the surest remedies, The 
borders need to be about 2ft. or 2ft. 6in. deep, of any light 
rich soil. Fresh planted trees should be frequently syringed 
overhead before and after the flowering period. After they — 
have become fully established, less overhead sprinkling is 
needed. During all the earlier stages of growth, and until | 
the fruit are stoned, an artificial temperature of 45deg. 
should not be exceeded. After that stage, the fruit will 
bear a heat of 50deg. or 55deg. It is hardly safe or 
sirable to exceed the latter under glass, and unless 
bundance of air is given, 55deg. may bring off the fruit, 
even at an advanced stage. A thorough soaking, at 
intervals of fourteen days during the height of the growing 
season, may be applied; and, should the trees be heavily 
cropped, manure water may be given at every alternate 
It is also a good practice to mulch the surface 
of heavily cropped trees with 3in. or 4in. of good dung. 
The fruit should, however, be freely thinned to distances 
of from 4in. to 6in. apart at the most. There are three 
general methods of growing them under glass: The trees 
may be trained on trellises or walls; grown as natural 
standards, tall or dwarf; and as bushes, either planted 
“ont or in pots, 
~ Varieties. The varieties of Apricot, unlike most other 
fruit, are not numerous; and the following will be found in 
every way representative and satisfactory: 
Blanche, or White Masculine, A small and delicate frui 
sort. Fruit pale whitish-yellow, tinged with red next 
sun, covered with a fine white down; rich, delicate, and sugary. 
or * early and , Color 
por geah sete, vied ae pea Rind in July. 
Breda.* A small sort, of excellent quality. Colour deep orange ; 
flesh firm, juicy, and rich. Hardiest sort grown. i 
citron; flesh tender, rich, juicy; flavour delicate and delicious ; 
-= kernel very sweet. ` eee 5 
deepest coloured of all. Fruit very larg 
oe 
n 
- colour deep C 
