KOSACEAE 71 



Hob. Yards, gardens, and orchards. Nat. of Persia. Fl. April. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. The fruit of this tree like the most of those which have 

 had the advantage of long and careful culture presents numerous 

 varieties; the best of which may be pronounced (mejudice] superior 

 to all other known fruits. The tree, unfortunately, is short-lived ; 

 but it is readily propagated from seeds, and a succession may be 

 kept up by inserting upon young stocks, buds, or scions, taken from 

 the most approved varieties* This process, for changing the char- 

 acter of seedling trees, is alluded to by the great English Bard with 

 his usual felicity: 



" You see, we marry 



A gentler scion to the wildest stock; 



And make conceive a bark of baser kind 



By bud of nobler race : This is an art 



Which does mend natilre, change it rather: but 



The art itself is nature." Winters Tale. Act 4. 



a. P. LAEVia, DC. Fruit smooth. 



SMOOTH PERSICA. Nectarine. 



Hob. Yards, gardens, and under glass. Fl. April. Ff. Aug. 



Obs. This small tree is scarcely to be distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding, except by its smooth fruit, which presents the same varie- 

 ties, of clingstone and freestone. Prof. DE CANDOLLE admits it as a 

 distinct species ; but it is certainly very closely allied to the Peach, 

 and, indeed, there are instances recorded, in which the same tree is 

 said to have produced both varieties. The crop of fruit is much 

 more certain under glass, with the branches trained on espaliers. 



f f Nut i6ith the, surface smooth and even. 



111. ARMEtfIA v CA, Tournef. 

 [A name derived from Armenia, its native Country.] 



Calyx campanulate, the 5 segments reflexed. Drupe roundish-oval, 

 velvety-pubescent; nut compressed, one edge obtuse, the other 

 acute. Small trees: leaves subcordate or ovate, convolute in the 

 bud ; flowers white, solitary, or few from a bud, preceding the 

 leaves. 



1. A. VULGARIS, Lam. Leaves orbicular-ovate, shortly acuminate, 

 serrate-dentate ; flowers sessile. 

 COMMON ARMENIACA. Apricot. Moor-park Apricot. 



Stem 10 to 15 or 20 feet high, with lather stout spreading or straggling branches. 

 Leaves about 3 inches long, and rather wider than long; petioles an inch or inch 

 and half in length, mostly with cup-like glands near the base of the leaf. Drupes 

 oval, about an inch in diameter, yellowish when mature. 

 Hob. Yards, and gardens. Nat. of Armenia. Fl. April. Fr. July. 



Obs. The name of this fruit, in SHAKSPEARE'S time, was written 

 " Apricocks" (perhaps by a corruption of the latin, A. praecox 

 meaning Early Armeniaca), as We may perceive in the following 

 lines: 



" Go bind thou up yon' dangling Apricocks, 

 Which, like unruly children, make their sire 

 Stoop with oppression of their prodigal weight." 



King Rithard IT. 

 This is an admired fruit ; and might be much more common than 



