APR 



58 



APR 



Propagation is best done by budding 

 on a plum or peach stock in August 

 or September, as the state of the 

 wood may make expedient. European 

 gardeners usually, for dwarfs, bud 

 at eight inches from the ground ; for 

 half-standards at three feet ; and for 

 standards at five feet. But that is un- 

 important, the subsequent treatment of 

 the tree may adapt it to the required 

 purpose. With us it is the general 

 practice to bud near the ground, and 

 the usage would imply the practice has 

 proved correct. 



Planting. — The best plants are with 

 one stem, free from gum, clean barked ; 

 and the more vigorous the better. They 

 may be safely transplanted at any time 

 in autumn after vegetation has ceased, 

 until the buds are about to expand in 

 spring. 



Aspect. — An eastern or western wall 

 is best ; for on a south aspect the fruit 

 becomes mealy even before it is ripe. 

 A northern exposure sometimes proves 

 most successful, as the bloom is late, 

 and escapes frost, which is fatal to those 

 in more sheltered situations. As a 

 standard, the apricot is some years be- 

 fore it bears, but it is then very prolific 

 and high flavored. i 



Soil. — The usual mellow loam of 

 gardens is well suited to the apricot ; j 



but its roots should be kept at less than 

 eighteen inches from the surface, and 

 the border be well drained. 



Training. — The branches should be 

 on an average six inches apart, and 

 kept as horizontal as possible. The 

 nearer the form can be kept to the fol- 

 lowing (Fig. IS) the better, unless the 

 tree be weak, in which case the 



Fig. 18. 



branches may be trained a little more 

 vertical. 



Pruning must be regulated by the 

 knowledge that, with the exception of 

 the Moor Park, each variety bears 

 chiefly on the shoots of the previous 



