V 1 THE AMERICAN GARDENEIt. 181 



put into barrels with fine-cut s Ira \v-chafl*, in such a 

 way as that no apple touched another ; carefully 

 carried to the ship and put on board, and as care- 

 fully landed ; and if this were the mode, one bar- 

 rel, though it would contain only half the quantity, 

 would sell for as much as, upon an average, taking- 

 in loss by total destruction, twenty barrels sell for 

 now. On the deck is the best part of the ship for 

 apples ; but, if managed as I have directed, between 

 decks would do very well. In the keeping of ap- 

 ples for market, or for home-use, the same precau- 

 tions ought to be observed as to gathering and lav- 

 ing out to dry ; and, perhaps, to pack in the same 

 way also is the best mode that can be discovered. 

 Dried Apples is an article of great and general 

 use. Every body knows, that the apples are peel- 

 ed, cut into about eight pieces, the-core taken out r 

 and the pieces put in the sun till they become dry 

 and tough. They are then put by in bags, or boxes, 

 in a dry place. But, the flesh of the apple does not 

 change its nature in the drying; and, therefore, the 

 finest, and not the coarsest, apples should have all 

 this trouble bestowed upon them. 



301. APRICOT. This is a very delightful fruit. 

 It comes earlier than the peach : and some like it 

 better. It is a hardier tree, bears as well as the 

 peach, and the green fruit, when the size of a 

 hickory-nut, makes a very good tart. When ripe, 

 or nearly ripe, it makes a better pie than the peach; 

 and the tree, when well raised, planted, and culti- 

 vated, will last a century. Apricots are budded or 

 grafted upon plum stocks, or upon stocks raised 

 from Apricot-stones. They do not bear so soon as 

 the peach by one year. For the pruning of them, 

 see PEACH. There are many sorts of Apricots 

 some come earlier, some are larger, and some fine* 



