CHAPTER XXVII 

 Various Fruits 



Apricot. This delicious fruit can only be grown with success 

 upon a wall facing south or south-west. It is not to be recom- 

 mended to the amateur who wishes to develop the resources of 

 his fruit garden to the utmost, for the crop of fruit is often 

 poor. Fan-trained trees are usually employed, and planting is 

 carried out in well-dug, loamy soil, with which lime rubble is 

 mixed freely. The soil must be made thoroughly firm about 

 the roots, and those nearest the surface should be covered with 

 not more than 2 or 3 inches of soil. It may be necessary to lift 

 and slightly root-prune the trees each autumn for the first two 

 or three years after planting to prevent too luxuriant branch 

 growth. 



The fruits of the Apricot are borne on spurs, and on 

 young shoots which ought to be trained in when space can 

 be found for them. Summer pruning is of importance ; the 

 side shoots should be " stopped " in July immediately above the 

 sixth leaf, and in winter they are shortened to within about 

 two buds of the base. Some disbudding in spring is usually 

 necessary, otherwise the fruit spurs will become crowded. The 

 Apricot comes into bloom early, and if frost threatens, the trees 

 must be protected by means of canvas or a double thickness of 

 fish netting. One of the most satisfactory varieties of the 

 Apricot is Moor Park. 



Medlar. Few people appear to plant the Medlar nowadays, 

 yet it is a picturesque tree, beautiful when in flower, and the 

 fruits make delicious jelly. It thrives in ordinarily well- tilled 

 land, and what little pruning is required is directed chiefly 

 towards thinning out the branches when they tend to become 

 crowded. One disadvantage of the Medlar is that it does not 

 usually bear good crops until the tree is of fair size. October 

 is the month in which to gather the fruits, which are not ready 

 for use until the flesh has become soft, a process known as 



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