APRICOTS Si'MMER MANAGEMENT. 67 



required by the apricot. It is, however, impatient of dryness at the roots. Rain often 

 falls copiously without having much effect in the immediate vicinity of the wall against 

 which the trees are growing. This must not be overlooked. From lack of moisture at the 

 roots of the trees, the fruit not unfrequently drops, or is prejudiced in its swelling. 



The fruit must be watched during its swelling, nails cleared out of the way, and 

 injury by any cause prevented. It must not be overhung with spray, but kept well 

 exposed to light. Shaded fruit is poor in colour and quality. "When ripening, the fruit 

 should be kept dry. Glass copings answer well, and some light netting, suspended in 

 front, and adjusted to the wall at the bottom and ends, but clear of the trees, not 

 only saves the fruit from winged creatures, but insures its ripening equally on 

 the shaded and on the sun side. Birds are very fond of ripening apricots, and must 

 be excluded. Earwigs, ants, woodlice, and slugs also attack the fruit, and should be 

 dealt with as advised on pages 255, 262, 267, and 276 in Yol. I. 



The fruit should be gathered if possible dry and cool. It is absolutely necessary that it 

 be dry and not over-ripe for preserving, yet for that purpose it should be fairly matured 

 on the shaded as well as on the sun side. For dessert the fruit cannot be too ripe. It 

 looks more tempting, perhaps, in its brilliant orange or golden yellow than when the 

 skin is slightly shrunk and cracked with lusciousness, but then it is at its prime, and 

 has been fairly described as " one of the finest fruits in the world." The fruit must be 

 handled carefully as it is easily bruised. For packing it should be gathered when it is 

 fairly soft on the sun side and the ripening colour pervades the shaded. 



Unfruitful Trees. Those making much breastwood, late growths, or not maturing 

 should have a trench taken out, so as to detach all roots beyond a radius of two -thirds 

 the distance from the stems the branches cover of wall surface. This should be done 

 from the third week in August to the first week in September, according to season and 

 locality, observing to water the soil well inside the trench if the leaves become Irmp, 

 not otherwise. After remaining open a fortnight to three weeks, the trench should be 

 filled in and the tree pruned, leaving no more spurs or wood than are necessary for next 

 year's bearing, and furnishing the wall. Lift carefully when the leaves commence 

 falling, and rectify any error or neglect of drainage, soil constituents, looseness of 

 staple, or unfavourableness of subsoil. Lime rubbish 6 inches thick is admirable for 

 placing at the bottom of stations. Shorten long bare roots, preserve all the fibrous, pare 

 broken ends smooth, lay the roots near the surface, working good soil well between them, 

 making all firm, and do not cover the uppermost roots deeper than 3 inches. Afford a 



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