i888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



231 



Condition of the Fruit Crop. 



The condition of the fruit crop of Amer- 

 ica, as reported by 192 correspondents of 

 Popular Gardening and Fruit Growing, 

 about June 20, is set forth on this and the 

 next pages. Tlie report will, we think, 

 strike the reader as being remarkable for its 

 conciseness and clearness. By reading 

 down the columns the general state of the 

 crop of each kind of fruit for all sections of 

 the country where fruit culture receives 

 attention may be seen at a glance. The re- 

 liability of the report is vouched for by the 

 names of the correspondents, all of which 

 are printed. To our correspondents who 

 have thus kindly co-operated with us we 

 e.xtend our hearty thanks. 



A computation on the biisis of this report 

 shows that all fruits together, the crop over 

 the country, is about an average one, to be 

 exact, just a shade below average. But 

 the more important fruits of a large 

 section, namely, Apples, Pears, Grapes, 

 Raspberries, and Strawberries, show a 

 little above an average crop. The same is 

 true of the fruits most largely used for 

 evaporating purposes. Following is the 

 average showing of each kind of fruit for 

 the entire country, the figures correspond- 

 ing with those named under the Explana- 

 tion at the head of the report, of which 3 

 indicates an average crop: 



Apples, Early.. .. 3.(3 Pears Late 2.50 



Late- Apples 3.1.5 



Cherries 2-40 



flnipes 3.iK 



I'.iulies 2.(!4 



Early 2.a« 



Peare, 

 I'urrants 



2.CB 



Plums 2.S5 



Quinces 2.70 



Raspberries 3.34 



Blackberries. 3."i0 



Strawberries 2.!W 



Gooseberries 3.04 



A general average for any state or section 

 may easily be obtained from the figures of 

 the report. 



THE COMPLETE GARDEN. 



XVII. 

 BY A WELL-KNOWN HORTICULTURIST. 



Continued from page 207. 

 THE APRICOT. 



This delicious fruit, which follows close- 

 ly the Cherry in its season of ripening, 

 stands between the Peach and the Plum in 

 character, hut is earlier than either,. In 

 leaf and stone it resembles the Plum, in 

 form and flower the Peach, having the 

 bloom on the fruit also of the latter. In 

 hardiness it about equals the Peach. 



Siiiliiiii} Situatinri. Thesoilofthe Apricot 

 must be deep and dry. With these condi- 

 tions met it will succeed in either heavy or 

 ligtit .soil, provided the trees be worked on 

 Plum stocks for heavy soil and on Peach 

 stocks for light soil, both forms of which 

 can usually be had of nurserymen. Being 

 rather susceptible to injury from cold, the 

 trees shimld be given a site somewhat shel- 

 tered, or should be planted against buildings 

 and trained fan-shaped against the surface- 

 One of the most vigorous and productive 

 Apricot trees the writer ever saw was trained 

 against the south wall of a building, and 

 this in the 4;^d deg. of latitude. 



I'l/r/cf/cx. A good selection of six varie- 

 ties would be the following: Early Golden, 

 Red Masculine, Early Moorpark, Moorpark, 

 Peach, Belda. In many places north where 

 the improved .sorts winter kill, the natural 

 fruit raised trom seed will succeed. 



THE BERBERRY OR B.\RBERRy. 



The fruit of this shrub, which occupies 

 so prominent a place among ornamental 

 growths, is very acid, too much so for eat- 

 ing, but it may be made into an agreeable 

 preserve and jelly, and be used for an orna- 

 mental pickle. A light rich soil, together 

 with training the bushes to single stems 

 gives the finest fruit. Easily propagated 

 l>y seeil, layers or suckers. Stock may be 

 had of all nurserymen. The Common or 

 continued on itext page. 



REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF THE FRUIT CROP 



From our Correspondents, June 20, 1888. 



Explanation: Five indicates a very heavy crop; 4 over average; .i average; 2 iiniler average 

 1 poor; total failure. Kinds chiefly grown indicated Ijy full face figures. 



