An Encyclopedia of Horticulture, 



99 



Apricot — continued. 

 barns, outbuildings, and two sides of at least hundreds of 

 cottages, m'gbt thus be utilised for the cultivation of this 

 tree. If well drained, almost any garden soil will bring 

 these fruits to perfection ; light, fibrous, rather sandy loam 

 will, however, prove most satisfactory. There should be 

 a considerable depth of soil ; a yard is not too much, 

 provided it be on a dry base, which is most important. 

 Heavy soils may be improved for Apricot culture by the 

 addition of an equal portion of light loam, mortar rubbish, 

 or charred refuse. In furnishing walls, the distance apart 



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Fig. 131. Apkicot Tree, showing method of Wall Training. 



may vary from 2ft. between Cordons, to 12ft., 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, bo allowed to get dry at the root. A thorough 

 Boaking of soft rain, or manure water, will often save a 



Fig. 132. Apricot Tree, showing method of Training suitable for 

 Gable Ends of Cottages. 



crop, and restore the trees, when aU 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 bo 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, water 

 should not be applied after this stage. 



Apricot — continued. 



Protection. It is almost hopeless to expect a crop unless 

 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 oft 

 storms, and keeping other coverings away from the flowers. 

 These should not be put up tUl 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, but they 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. 



Cropping, i^-c. Thinning of the fruit needs early and 

 careful attention. The average of Sin. apart may be chosen 

 for a maximum yield. As the fruit approach maturity, 

 overhanging leaves, or branches of young wood, must bo 

 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. 



Vnde r 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. But in 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 tho atmo- 

 sphere, probably both, have been too dry ; more moisture, 

 and syringing over the leave.^, are the surest remedies. Tho 

 borders need to be about 2ft. or 2ft. 6in. deep, of any light 

 rich soil. Fresh planted trees should bo frequently syringed 

 overhead before and after tho 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 SOdeg. or 55deg. It is hardly safe or 

 desirable to exceed the latter under glass, and unless 

 abundance 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 tho trees be heavily 

 cropped, manure water may be given at every alternate 

 watering. It is also a good practice to mulch the surface 

 of heavily cropped trees with Sin. or 4in. of good dung. 

 The fruit should, however, be freely thinned to distances 

 of from 4in. to Cin. 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 

 standai'ds, tall or dwarf; and as bushes, either planted 

 out 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 : 



Blancbe, or White Masculine. A small and delicate fruited 

 sort. Fruit pale wliitisli-yellow, tinged with brownish-red next tho 

 sun, covered with a tiiio wliite down ; rich, delicate, and sugary. 



Blenheim, or Shipley's.* Very early and proliflc. Colour 

 deep yfllow ; flesh uicdiuni, rich, and juicy. Ripe in July. 



Breda.* A small sort, of excellent quality. Colour deep orange ; 

 tiesll lirm, juicy, and rich. Hardiest sort grown. 



Kaisha.* Fruit round, nuuli smaller than Moorpark. Colour pale 

 citron ; flesh tender, rich, juicy ; flavour delicate and delicious ; 

 kernel very sweet. 



laarge Red. The deepest coloiu'ed of all. Fruit very large J 

 colour deep reddish-orange ; flesh rich and juicy ; kernel bitter. 



