202 PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING. [CH. VI. 



armeniaca, P. cerasus, and P. domestica ; but I do 

 not entertain much doubt of being able to obtain an 

 endless variety of perfect offspring between tlie 

 P. domestica, P. insititia, and P. spinosa; and still 

 less doubt of obtaining an abundant variety of offspring 

 from the P. armeniaca and P. sibirica. The former, 

 the common apricot^, is found, according to M. Reg- 

 nier, in a wild state in the oases of Africa. It is there 

 a rich and sweet fruit of a yellow colour. The fruit 

 of the P. sibirica, seeds of which came to me last year 

 from Dr. Fischer of Gorenki, is, on the contrary', 

 I understand, black, veiy acid, and of small size : but 

 nevertheless if these apparently distinct species will 

 breed together, and I confidently expect they ^rill, 

 without giving existence to mule plants, I shall not 

 hesitate to pronounce these plants of one and the 

 same species, as I have done relatively to the scarlet, 

 the pine, and the chili strawberries. Botanists may 

 nevertheless, if they please, continue to call these 

 transmutable plants, species; but if they do so, 



* The early period at which the apricot unfolds its flowers leads 

 me to believe it to be a native of a cold climate : and I suspect 

 the French word abricot, the English aprico^, and the African 

 berrikokka, to have been alike derived from the Latin word 

 praicocia, which the Romans (there is every reason to believe) 

 pronounced praikokia, and which was the term applied to early 

 varieties of peaches, which probably included the apricot. The 

 Greeks also wrote the Latin word as I suppose the Romans to 

 have pronoxmced it. — Hardouins ed. of Pliny, lib. 15. sec. xi. 



