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The Apricot. 



The apricot (Armeniaca vulgaris, Lam.) is a low deciduous tree, a 

 native of Caucasus, very extensively distributed through the countries 

 of the East, and cultivated in European gardens from the time of the 

 Romans. In British gardens the apricot is the earliest wall-fruit, 

 flowering with the sloe in March, ripening about the end of July, and 

 supplying the dessert till the middle of September. Its uses are the 

 same as the peach ; in addition to which it makes excellent marma- 

 lades, jellies, and preserves, and tarts even when gathered green, and 

 of the smallest size. In the Oases of Upper Egypt the fruit of a par- 

 ticular variety, called the Musch-Musch, is produced in great quantities 

 and dried, so as to form an article of commerce. 



Varieties. These are much less numerous than those of the peach. 

 The following selection includes Oullin's Early Peach, Peach, Sar- 

 dinian, Alberge de Montgamet, Kaisha, Large Red, Rivers' Golden 

 Drop, Royal, Moorpark, and Breda. 



Apricots for the Walls of a Cottage. The best is the Moorpark, which 

 in Lincolnshire and other parts of England bears well on the gable- 

 ends, and ripens early in consequence of the heat communicated to the 

 wall by the flue. The fruit is thinned, and the thinnings are sent to 

 market for tarts, and afterwards the ripe fruit, the whole producing 

 twenty shillings or upwards. Next to the Moorpark the Breda and 

 the Alberge de Montgamet, Sardinian, and Royal, may be taken as the 

 hardiest, and the Red Masculine as the earliest. 



Propagation, Nursery Culture, &c. For dwarfs, the apricot is 

 generally budded on the Mussel plum, or any other variety ; but the 

 Breda, when intended for a standard, is budded on the St. Julian 

 plum, which produces a strong clean stem. The Moorpark is some- 

 times budded on an apricot stock ; and when it is wanted to have very 

 dwarf plants some recommend budding one variety on another that has 

 been previously budded on a Mirabelle plum. As the apricot is a very 

 early plant, budding may be commenced sooner than in the case of the 

 peach. The nursery culture is the same as for that tree, and the 

 plants remove equally well after being three or four years trained. 



final Planting, Pruning, fyc. In the warmer parts of the country 

 an east or west aspect is preferred to the south, the heat of which 

 brings forward the blossom too early, and renders the fruit mealy. 

 Where the fruit is only wanted for tarts it may be grown as a standard 

 or as an espalier. It would well repay to give standards a winter pruning 

 in order to regulate the branches, and moderately shorten the young 

 shoots to prevent their becoming naked as they elongate a tendency 

 which both standard apricots and peaches have in this climate. The 

 blossom is produced chiefly on the young shoots of the last year, but 

 partly also upon spurs which rise on the two or three years old shoots. 

 The fan method of training is generally preferred ; or the horizontal 

 manner, with the branches elevated so as to form an angle of 25 with 

 the horizon. In almost every other respect, what has been advanced 

 respecting the pruning, training, and general management of the peach 



