PRU 



P R IT 



The fruit is acid, but so tempered by sweetness 

 and roughness as not to be unpleasant, especially 

 alter it Is mellowed by frost. It is a native of 

 Germany, flowering in April. 



It varies with black, and white or rather wax- 

 coloured fruit ; and also with a red, bitter, un- 

 pleasant fruit. 



The third is sufficiently distinguished by its 

 broad roundish leaves drawn to a point at the end, 

 smooth, glandular at the base in front, where 

 they are sometimes slightly cordate, and unequal, 

 that is, one side longer than the other: the edge 

 is finely serrate : the petiole is from half an inch 

 to an inch in length, commonly tinged with 

 red : the vernant leaves convoluted, rolling up- 

 wards more or less ; the leaves have a disposi- 

 tion to this at all times : the flowers are sessile, 

 white tinged with the same dusky red that ap- 

 pears on the petioles : the fruit is round, yel- 

 low within and without, firmer than plums and 

 most peaches, inclosing a smooth compressed 

 stone, resembling that of the plum. It is a na- 

 tive of Asia. 



There are many varieties of this ; but the fol- 

 lowing are the most commonly cultivated, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Forsyth : The Masculine, which 

 is a small roundish fruit : it is the earliest of 

 all the apricots, ripening about the latter end of 

 July; and is chiefly esteemed for its tart taste: 

 when fully ripe, it is of a red colour towards 

 the sun, and of a greenish yellow on the other 

 side. The Orange, which is pretty large, but ra- 

 ther dry and insipid, and fitter for tarts than for 

 the table : it is of a deep yellow colour when 

 ripe, which is about the latter end of August: 

 this is considered as the best for preserving. 

 The Algiers, which is a flatted-oval-shaped fruit, 

 of a straw colour, juicy, and high-flavoured : it 

 ripens about the middle of August. The Roman, 

 which is larger than the Algiers, rounder, of a 

 deep yellow, and not quite so juicy : it is ripe 

 about the middle or latter end of August. The 

 Turkey, which is larger, and of a deeper colour 

 than the Roman ; its shape more globular, and 

 the flesh firmer and drier : it ripens about the 

 latter end of August. The Breda, (brought from 

 thence to England,) which is originally from 

 Africa : it is large, round, and of a deep yellow 

 colour; the flesh is soft and juicy : it is an ex- 

 cellent fruit, especially if ripened on a standard, 

 becoming ripe about the latter end of August. 

 The Brussels, which is held in very great esteem 

 on account of its bearing so well on standards, 

 or large dwarfs : it is of a middling size, red 

 towards the sun, with many dark spots; and of 

 a greenish yellow on the other side : it has a 

 brisk flavour, is not liable to be mealy or doughy, 

 and is preferred by many to the Breda; but when 

 7 



the Breda is planted as a standard, the fruit is 

 more juicy and of a richer flavour : it ripens in 

 August on a wall, but not before the latter end 

 of September on standards. The Moor-Park, 

 called also Anson's, Temple's, and Dunmore's 

 Breda, which is a fine fruit, and ripens about 

 the latter end of August. The Peach, which was 

 introduced from Paris, by his Grace the Duke 

 of Northumberland, at Sion-house, in 1767 : 

 it is the finest and largest of all apricots, and is 

 generally thought to be the same as the Moor- 

 Park ; but upon a minute examination the leaves 

 will be found to differ: it ripens in August. 

 The Black, which has been very lately intro- 

 duced, by Sir Joseph Banks, from France, in 

 which country it is highly esteemed. It is ob- 

 served, that " the trees that Sir Joseph planted 

 in his gardens at Spring Grove, near Hounslow, 

 bore fruit last season, (1792) for the first time 

 in this country ; but, in consequence of the wet 

 and unfavourable weather, it did not arrive at 

 perfection. It ripens about the second week in 

 August." 



To the above list Mr. Forsyth has added the 

 following : The Great Apricot, the Holland 

 Apricot, the Provence Apricot, the Alberge, 

 theAngoumoise, the Blotched-leaved,the Nancy 

 Apricot, which has a fine large fruit ; the Dutch 

 Apricot, the Grover's Breda, the Persian, the 

 Royal Orange, the Transparent, the Portugal 

 Apricot, which has a small fruit. 



The following are advised as proper for small 

 gardens, in order to have regular successions of 

 fruit : The Masculine, the Roman, the Orange, 

 the Breda, and the Moor-Park. 



The fourth species is a tree that has ash-co- 

 loured, shining, roundish branches : the leaves 

 petioled, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 unequally serrate, veined; the younger ones 

 folded together flat, and more or less pubescent 

 underneath : the stipules toothed, glandular : 

 the umbels" leafless, few-flowered, nodding : 

 the calyx reflex : the petals white : the drupe 

 red and acid. It differs from the plum in having 

 the stone nearly globular, with the kernel of the 

 same shape. It is a native of Asia and Europe. 



It loves a sandy soil and an elevated situation. 



The varieties are numerous; but the following 

 are those most in cultivation, according to the 

 above author : The Small May Cherry, which is 

 the first ripe, and requires a good wall : one or 

 two trees of this kind may be sufficient for a 

 large garden : it is ripe in June. The May 

 Duke, which comes in about the same time as 

 the former, but is larger : it is an excellent 

 cherry, and bears well against a wall. The 

 Archduke, which, if permitted to ripen pro- 

 perly, is an excellent cherry : it becomes ripe 



