CHAPTER V. 



THE APRICOT. 



IT is remarkable that a fruit of such excellence as the 

 apricot, and ripening from one to two months before the best 

 early peaches, should be so little known. In its natural 

 character, it is more nearly allied to the plum than the peach, 

 resembling the former in its broad leaf, and in the smooth 

 stone of its fruit; but downy like the peach, and partaking 

 largely of its flavor and excellence. 



The apricot is budded on seedling apricots, and on peach 

 and plum s:ocks. Plum stocks are preferred, and are more 

 especially adapted to heavy soils. On light soils, the hard- 

 shelled almond, and the wild plum, have proved excellent. 



The soil should be deep and dry. Young trees have fre- 

 quently perished from a wet sub-soil, even where the sur- 

 face was not unusually moist. A mistaken notion prevails 

 as to the hardiness of the apricot. On suitable soils, it is 

 as hardy as most early peaches. This mistake has however 

 arisen from other causes. The tree has been commonly 

 planted in the warmest situations, as on the warm side of 

 buildings, or other sheltered site, facing the hot sun, where 

 they have blossomed early, and as a consequence, the crop 

 has not unfrequently been destroyed by vernal frosts. Hence, 

 a northern or more exposed aspect, would be far preferable. 

 If trained on a building, the eastern side should ~ be espe- 

 cially avoided, as a hot morning sun upon frosted buds 

 would be nearly certain destruction. 



The liability to the attacks of the curculio, and the very 

 common destruction of the whole crop by this insect, has led 

 to the erroneous conclusion that the apricot is not suited to 

 our northern climate. Several cultivators, as far north as 

 forty-three degrees of latitude, by a systematic destruction 

 of this insect, obtain annually heavy crops of this delicious, 

 golden, mid-summer fruit. The mode of protection is fully 

 described in the chapter on the Plum. 



