THE xriticoT.] 



PJiACTlCE OF IIOJ: riCULTUllE. 



[thK IM.UM. 



posed the apricot oriLrlnattil ; ullium^h Pallas 

 Btates tliat it is louucl aloiii; tho whole rniigo 

 of tho Caucasus, the mountains of which, even 

 to their summits, are covered witli it. It is 

 described as being, in Japan, a lar;i;e, Hpreadiiig 

 tree, full of branches ; and in China, as cover- 

 ing the mountains to the west of Pekin. It 

 appears to have been first cultivated in Etig- ; 

 land about 15G2. It is used in a raw state 

 for the dessert, and is esteemed next to the 

 peach iu tiie quality of deliciousness. It is 

 also made into jellies, marmalades, and pre- 

 serves. The following are the principal va- 

 rieties : — 



The Blenheim, Breda, Ilemskirke, Moor- 

 park, Musch-Muach, Kaisha, New Early, I 

 Koman, Turkey, Large Early, Orange, and 

 Ivjyal. 



The Blenheim is of En2;lish origin, and a 

 good bearer. The Breda is of the highest 

 excellence, and in the south of England does 

 well as a standard ; but the best apricot in 

 tliis country is the Moor-park, of which there 

 are several sub-varieties, known by different 

 i.ames; and among them Shipley's is the best. 

 The Turkey is an excellent late variety ; and 

 the Kaisha has quite superseded the rea and 

 white Masculines, which, in former days, were 

 our earliest kinds. 



The apricot, being a tree of much stronger 

 growth than the peach, requires more room 

 and pruning, both in summer and winter. 

 The most common error in pruning apricots 

 is the laying-in of the bearing-shoots too 

 thickly, Keferring to this tree, Dr. Lindley 

 says that the principal branches "must be 

 trained wider apart than those of peach and 

 nectarine trees; but, in other respects, they 

 should be regulated by the same principles. 

 The main branches of the apricot may be 

 fifteen inches apart." 



TIIE PLUM. 



The plum tree, although a native of, or, 

 perhaps, only naturalised in, Grreat Britain, is 

 supposed to have been originally taken from 

 Asia Minor ; for Pliny says that it was brought 

 from Syria into Greece, and thence into Italy. 

 It is frequently found growing spontaneously 

 in our hedges ; and in its cultivated state is 

 highly esteemed as a dessert-fruit. " Plums," 

 says Professor Martyn, " when suUiciently 



ripe, and taken in modcrato (pianiitv, are not 

 unwholesome ; but in an immature state, thev 

 are more liable to produce pains in tho stomach, 

 diarrhoa, or cholera, than any other fruit of 

 tliis class." Tiiere are many varieties, rang- 

 ing from ten to nearly a hundred, as given by 

 different autiiorities ; but tho catalogue of tho 

 Horticultural Soeiety gives 274 sorte. Wo 

 notice a few of tho best for tho dessert, and 

 then select some others, most esteemed for 

 culinary purposes. 



Tho Green-gago (or Heine Claude of tho 

 French), Coe'a Golden Drop, the Drap 

 D'Or, Angelina Burdctt, tho Blue Impera- 

 trice, tho Jell'erson, the Koine Claude Violotte, 

 the Washington, Koine Claude de Buvay, 

 Cowper's Large lied, Coo's Late Ked, D'Af^en, 

 Blue Perdii^'on, Duwnton Imperatrice, Law- 

 son's Golden-gai;e, and the White Perdrigou. 



It is supposed that the green-gage was in- 

 troduced into England by the Gage family; 

 and the foreign name having been lost, or for- 

 gotten, the present was given to it, as being 

 the next most appropriate. It is, in every 

 respect, a fruit of the highest excellence. 

 When grown against a wall with an east or a 

 west aspect, the fruit attains to a large size ; 

 but, as a wall tree, it rarely bears well till it is 

 old. Coe's Golden Drop requires a wall of the 

 most luvourable aspect, and is excellent, botli 

 as a table and preserving plum. It does not 

 succeed in a bleak climate. A\^e are informed 

 that the Angelina Burdett, the standard of 

 England, and the Woolston black-gage, were, 

 some years ago, raised from seed by Mr. 

 Dowliug, of Woolsion, near Soutiiamptou. 

 They are all plums of tlie highest excellence. 

 Speaking of their qualities, Mr. Thompson 

 says — " These plums are first-rate, and I should 

 recommend their extensive cultivation. As 

 regards the last, it throws the green-gage into 

 the shade, for it contains all the properties of 

 that fine plum, with more sugary sweetness. 

 The Jefierson is tho best of all the American 

 plums. The Washington is also a good 

 plum, and succeeds as a standard. Cowper's 

 large red is a fruit of great productiveness, 

 and on that account deserves a place in the 

 garden. Gisborue's early plum is one of 

 the best that can be recommended, especially 

 for the northern parts of the island." 



Of second-rate plums we may enumerate 



955 



