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is not so great. Drainage should always be provided for in heavy, retentive 

 soils, as Apricots are especially liable to suffer if the ground remains 

 soddened for any length of time. In the case of land with open gravelly 

 or sandy subsoils, there will often be sufficient natural drainage, but if 

 not provision must be made for it. 



Planting may be done at any time between the fall of the leaf and the 

 time when growth commences, but the writer prefers from the end of July 

 to the middle of August, according to the district. Vigorous young trees, 

 with straight stems, well-formed heads, and plenty of fibrous roots, should 

 be selected in preferance to others. The trees should be planted not less 

 than eighteen feet apart, and care must be taken not to place them too 

 deeply in the ground. It will be sufficient if the upper roots are just below 

 the surface, In order to fully utilize the ground, temporary trees may be 

 planted between if desirable, but care must be taken that they are not 

 allowed to remain long enough to injure the Apricots. Before the hot 

 weather sets in it will be advisable to mulch the trees four or five inches 

 deep with long stable manure or other convenient material, taking care to 

 spread it over the ground as far as the roots extend. Care must also be 

 taken to keep the mulching material clear of the stems of the trees. The 

 surface should be kept as free from grass and other weeds as possible, as 

 an undergrowth of this kind is injurious, and more especially in the spring 

 and early summer. The work of keeping down weeds is most economically 

 and effectively done by frequent and light stirrings of the surface soil with 

 scarifier or hoe. Deep ploughing or digging is hurtful, causing much 

 damage to the roots, and should be avoided as a rule. Apricots like all 

 fruit trees, mu.st be supplied with congenial food, and as the land becomes 

 exhausted suitable manures should be given to make good any deficiencies. 

 Even the richest soils will fail sooner or later if the materials exti acted 

 from them are not returned in some shape or form, and their wants should 

 be attended to before the trees suffer to any extent. Ordinary manure will 

 generally keep the trees in a thrifty state but if there are special 

 deficiencies as for instance, a lack of lime, or other necessary mineral 

 these should be supplied. 



PRUNING. 



The Apricot requires more attention in the way of pruning than any 

 other stone fruit, excepting the Peach and Nectarine. The fruit is 

 mainly produced upon wood of the previous season's growth, but also to 

 a large extent upon spurs of older wood, it is advisable in pruning to 

 thin out the previous season's shoots when too numerous, shortening 

 those that are left to one or two leaf buds beyond two or three well- 

 developed fruit buds. By adopting this method of pruning growth is 

 kept compact, and the fruit is not only finer but is produced more 

 regularly than if the wood is left to advance at random. In the case of 

 young trees, a strong and regular growth of wood is more required for 

 two or three years than the production of fruit, arid the shoots should be 

 thinned out and shortened so as to best effect this object. iSummer 

 pruning should be practised when practicable, and more especially in the 



