60 A YEAR IN A LANCASHIRE GARDEN. 



William Temple, is still the best. By the way, he 

 tells us that the Roman name for Apricots is Mala 

 epirotica. Is this the root of the word Apricot, or 

 may we still look upon it as from " apricus," the 

 " sunny fruit," the fruit that loves the sun and 

 has caught its own bright colour ? 1 



Of the smaller fruit Cherries have been a failure, 

 with the exception indeed of the Morellos. Goose- 

 berries have done well, though I fear I cannot 

 compete with the giant Gooseberries of a Lan- 

 cashire Gooseberry show. The Currants, whether 

 against the wall or on bushes, have been capital, 

 and the black Currants would take a prize at any 

 show. We now net up some Currant bushes for 

 the later autumn. The Raspberries, which we train 

 in arches, have done tolerably, and we should have 

 a second crop of the white ones in October. 



The Strawberries have been an average crop, 

 and the little Alpines have been capital so large, 

 so highly flavoured, and so redolent of Switzerland ! 



I am trying, too, for the first time, to grow 

 Hautbois Strawberries, which are almost unknown 

 with us. We are as yet not very successful, and I 

 well know how capricious a fruit it is as regards 



1 I believe, as a matter of fact, that the more received derivation 

 of Apricot is "praecox." 



