CHAP. XLII. /iOSA^CE^. ^RMENi'aCA. 681 



vation ; and where, according to Royle, both the free and clingstone varieties 

 are known ; the former being called kuUoo, and the latter kardee. The tree 

 is found wild in different parts of the Himalayas, at elevations of 5000 ft, and 

 6000 ft. In the district of Bissehur there is a distinct kind, called bhemee by 

 the natives (Persica maligna Roijle), which, though small, is juicy and very 

 sweet. The nectarine is found in gardens in Northern India, where it is 

 called shuftaloo, and moondla (smooth) aroo (peach), though it does not per- 

 fectly ripen its fruit, nor is it known whence it was introduced, though, 

 probably, from Caubul. (Ro_t//e Illust., p. 204.) The Romans received the 

 peach from Persia, during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. It is men- 

 tioned in the writings of Columella ; and several sorts are described by Pliny. 

 It was in cultivation in England about the middle of the 16th century; 

 but, in all probability, was first introduced when the Romans had possession 

 of the country. It is now in general cultivation as a fruit tree, against walls, 

 in the middle and north of Europe; as a standard tree, in fields and gardens, 

 in Italy, Spain, and the north of Africa, and in various countries of the 

 East, including Persia, India, and China. It was carried to North America 

 by the first European settlers, probably at the end of the 16th, or the 

 beginning of the 17th, century; and it is now cultivated there, in extensive 

 plantations, for the distillation of peach brandy, and for fattening hogs. These 

 plantations grow with such luxuriance, that the orchards almost resemble 

 forests. The nuts are sown, and no other care is bestowed on the plants 

 than that of removing the larger weeds for a year or two. In four years 

 they commence bearing, and continue to grow and to produce fruit for 20 or 

 30 years. In South America, the peach has been generally introduced by 

 the Spaniards; and Sir Francis Head, in his Rough Notes, mentions the 

 beauty of the trees among the corn fields of Mendoza. 



Properties and Uses. The fruit-bearing varieties are cultivated entirely 

 for their fruit ; and those with double flowers, and variegated leaves, as or- 

 namental objects in shrubberies For this last purpose, what has been 

 stated relatively to the almond will apply to the peach and nectarine ; and 

 for their culture as fruit trees, we refer to our Enci/clojjcedia of Gardening. 

 Medicinally, and in domestic economy, the fruit, leaves, and flowers may be 

 substituted for those of the almond. From the wood of the peach tree the 

 colour called rose pink is procured. As an ornamental tree, the only va- 

 rieties worth cultivating are, the Tunbridge peach, which will grow well as 

 a standard ; the double-flowered peach, which is extremely ornamental, and 

 groups well with the double-flowered cherry and plum ; and the variegated- 

 leaved. The price of plants is the same as for the almond. 



Genus III. 



1 



^RMENTACA Toiirn. The Apricot. Lin. Sj/st. Icosandria Monogynia. 



Identification. Tourn. Inst, t. 399. ; Juss. Gen., 341. ; Dec. Fl. Fr.,4. p. i85. ; Prod., 2. p. 531. ; Don's 



Mill., 2. p. 495. 

 Si/nonytnes. Primus sp. of IJn. and others ; Abricotier, Fr. ; Aprikosenbaum, Gcr. 

 Derivation. The genus is named Jrmenlaca, from the apricot being originally from Armenia. The 



popular English name was originally prscocia, from the Arabic, fttvAocAt' ; whence the Tuscan 



bacoche, or albicocco ; and the English, abricot, or apricock, eventually corrupted into apricot. 



Some persons derive the name ivom prcecox, from this fruit ripening sooner than most others. 



Description, Sfc. A fruit tree, in general cultivation throughout the temper- 

 ate regions of the globe, distinguished at first sight from the almond, peach, 

 and nectarine, by its heart-shaped, smooth, shining leaves, and white flowers. 

 There are several wild varieties, bearing flowers of different shades of pink, 

 chiefly cultivated as ornamental. The great beauty of both the wild and the 

 cultivated sorts of apricot is, that they come into bloom in Britain before al- 

 most every other tree ; the Siberian apricot flowering a fortnight, or more, 

 before the common sloe or almond. 



