THE APRICOT ] 



more productive apricots, and therefore possessing 

 stronger reproductive stamina, to fertilize the large 

 fruited varieties. 



The best form to give to the apricot is the vase- 

 shaped form, and this shape can be obtained easily by 

 following the method suggested for the pear, the apple 

 and the peach. Trees yielding satisfactory crops are 

 also obtained by training them in the form of a bush, or 

 a low dome, but care should be taken to keep up an open 

 habit of growth and never to allow the vegetation to 

 become too dense. In sheltered situations the apricot has 

 a natural tendency to assume a tall pyramidal shape, 

 and this habit is not in any way detrimental to the 

 fertility of the tree, as when it has passed the period of 

 fast growth and nearly reached full size, the branches 

 become well provided with fruit spurs and the tree enters 

 definitely into a period of sustained production. 



Pruning should be limited rather to a process of 

 cleaning, by removing all dead or diseased wood, 

 relieving the dense growths to expose the fruiting 

 branches to the direct action of the sun and the air, and 

 trimming the tree to shape. If the fruit spurs are too 

 numerous 'or show signs of exhaustion it will be necessary 

 to thin them, and this operation will result also in the 

 production of new spurs to take the place of old and 

 exhausted ones. All pruning operations should be per- 

 formed in winter or from the moment that the leaves are 

 shed until the buds begin to push, and any large wounds 

 which could not be avoided should be painted with tar. 

 Old trees which have grown out of shape or have become 

 too exhausted may be rejuvenated by pollarding the main 

 branches late in autumn or early in winter, if possible 

 performing the operation on branches which are not more 

 than 5 c.m. in diameter, cutting the wood in a slightly 

 slanting direction just above a likely bud, and painting 

 over the wound with tar or with a non-drying grafting 

 wax. Trees trained as bushes or low pyramids should 



