546 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



caterpillars, which are shunned by most 

 birds. 



H. A. GOSSARD. 

 Wooster. Ohio. 



Apricot 



The apricot is related to the peach, 

 plum, almond, nectarine, cherry and 

 prune. It is generally believed to have 

 been a cross between the peach and the 

 plum; but this has been disputed on the 

 ground that it grows wild in Africa and 

 the Caucasus mountains. In some parts 

 of the Caucasus mountains the hills and 

 mountainsides are covered with apricot 

 trees, and in China also it grew wild at 

 an early date. Its origin is, therefore, in- 

 volved in mystery, and perhaps with our 

 present information, cannot be definitely 

 settled. 



In growth, habit and the soil to which 

 it is adapted, it is much like the peach; 

 matures its fruit about the same time; 

 the tree is not quite so tall; blooms a few- 

 days earlier, and is a little more likely 

 to be killed by frost. In shape and color 

 it resembles the peach; but in te.xlure and 

 the smoothness of its skin, it is more like 

 the prune and plum. The bark of the 

 tree is similar to that of certain varieties 

 of cherry; its leaves are heart-shaped, 

 bright green and yellow. It i-equires 

 about the same kind of soil and cultiva- 

 tion as the peach, which see. 



The apricot is regarded as a tenderer 

 fruit than the peach, but this is doubtless 

 due to the fact that it blooms earlier. 

 It is not so profitable commercially. For 

 this reason growers have not made such 

 efforts to produce late blooming varieties. 

 The peach is larger, has more varieties 

 of flavor, therefore brings a better price 

 in the markets, yet apricots are appre- 

 ciated for canning purposes. 



California produces more apricots than 

 any other state in the Union. The apricot 

 was introduced into California, by the 

 Mission Fathers, where it was found in 

 the Santa Clara valley in 1792. The vari- 

 eties found there were not of high grade, 

 generally seedlings, and much inferior to 

 those introduced later by gold seekers 

 from England and France in 1850 to 1860. 



The Soil Best Adapted 



The apricot will stand more humus, or 

 a stronger soil than the peach. In the 

 article on the peach it has been observed 

 that this fruit will not endure a soil very 

 rich in barnyard manure or other fertil- 

 izers. In the growing of cover crops in 

 the orchards, it has been discovered that 

 the peach is injured by a quantity of 

 nitrogen and humus, that will give health 

 and vigor to apples and pears. The apri- 

 cot will stand more of these fertilizers 

 than the peach, but like the peach, it re- 

 quires a light dry soil, and a mixture of 

 sand and gravel is beneficial. 



The root system is not particularly 

 strong, therefore, the soil should be loose 

 and deep enough so that the roots will 

 penetrate it without the energy necessary 

 to break it up. It requires less water 

 than apples and pears, and, therefore, the 

 water should not be allowed to stand on 

 the ground, or the soil to water-log. What 

 we have said applies mostly to the im- 

 proved varieties, rather than to the seed- 

 lings which grow with great vigor, and 

 have great resisting power. These seed- 

 lings have sometimes a fruit of fine flavor, 

 but very small as compared with the 

 Moorpark or other improved varieties. In 

 this, the apricot follows a general rule, 

 for it is true of peaches, apples and other 

 fruits that the trees which are the most 

 hardy and resistant to injuries generally 

 produce the poorest fruits. 



Apricot trees are produced by budding 

 on peach or apricot seedlings during the 

 first summer's growth in the nursery row. 

 These seedlings are produced either from 

 peach or apricot seeds, planted during 

 the preceding winter. As to the method 

 of planting, see article on the peach. The 

 tree is a vigorous grower, and must be 

 carefully pruned to shape the top and to 

 prevent the dwarfing of the fruit by an 

 e.xtra heavy crop. This method of prun- 

 ing will also lessen the work of hand 

 thinning. However, where the fruit is so 

 close that the apricots crowd each other, 

 hand thinning is necessary to the produc- 

 tion of the largest and most profitable 

 commercial grades. It is better to have a 

 certain quantity, say 100 pounds or four 



