446 DECIDUOUS TREES. 



breaking them, and all securely tied to the central post Figs. 53, 

 54, 55, on page 273, show the manner of protection suggested. 

 Without some strong fixture to which to secure these bundles, the 

 weight of ice and snow upon them in winter, and the action of the 

 wind, would break the trees to pieces. A substitute for such a 

 centre-post could be effected by driving three or four high strong 

 stakes around the tree, and lashing the bundled branches by inter- 

 secting cords from one stake to another, so that the winds could 

 not break them. Planting a cedar-post with the tree is, however, 

 the best and simplest way of providing for this mode of winter pro- 

 tection. Trees that are loaded with vigorous blossom-buds when 

 winter is entirely over, will very rarely have so many of the blos- 

 soms killed by frosts during the blossoming as to materially injure 

 the crop. 



The following ten varieties will afford a succession of the best 

 fruit through the peach season : Haine's Early, large early York, 

 George the IV., Crawford's early Melocoton, Morris White, Old- 

 mixon freestone, Yellow rare-ripe, Nivette, Red-cheek Melocoton, 

 Crawford's late Melocoton. 



THE APRICOT. Armeniaca vulgaris. 



A native of Asiatic mountains in the temperate zone. In addi- 

 tion to the value of its fruit, the apricot has the merit of being the 

 earliest fruit-tree in flower. Its buds, before they expand, show a 

 brilliant scarlet, and, when fully expanded early in April, are white, 

 tinged with pink. The leaves resemble in form those of the apple 

 tree, but are more wavy and glossy, and perhaps darker colored. 

 The bark is also dark, like that of the plum tree. The growth of 

 the tree is rapid, and it assumes more quickly than other trees, in 

 proportion to size, a broad massive appearance. This quality of its 

 form gives it an expression similar to that of old apple trees at a 

 much earlier age than the latter acquire the same expression. It 

 is, therefore, one of the most ornamental of fruit trees, not only by 

 its luxuriant growth, when first planted, in which respect the peach 

 is quite its equal, but by the substantial strength and durability of 



