212 NEW AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 



CULTIVATION. 



The varieties of almond are propagated by inoculation, 

 either on the native stocks of the common almond, or on 

 stocks of the peach or plum. Their cultivation is the same 

 as that prescribed for the peach ; they are equally as hardy. 



APRICOT. (Armeniaca.J 



The apricot is a low tree, of very irregular growth ; the 

 leaves are broad, roundish, pointed, glandular, serrated; 

 their petioles tinged with red ; the flowers are sessile, of 

 a white color, tinged with red ; they appear very early ; the 

 fruit is round, its color varying from white to yellow, and 

 red ; it somewhat resembles a peach, but its flesh is firmer ; 

 its hard, smooth, compressed stone resembles that of a plum. 

 It ripens in July in the latitude of Boston. 



According to Phillips, it may derive its name from 

 pracox, or early fruit; or, by corruption, a pracox; hence 

 apricock, or apricot. Its native place has been assigned 

 to Armenia. M. L. Legnier, however, asserts, says Phillips, 

 that it is not known to grow in the natural state in any part 

 of Armenia. The inhabitants of the deserts called oases, 

 gather and dry large quantities of apricots, which they 

 bring down to Egypt for sale ; it there grows spontaneous- 

 ly ; hence Legnier assigns it to Arabia. Paflas states it 

 to be a native of Caucasus, the mountains there being cov- 

 ered with it to their tops. Grosier says it covers the bar- 

 ren mountains west of Pekin. (Phillips.) Regnier and 

 Sickler, says Loudon, assign it a parallel between the 

 (Niger and Atlas.) 



USES. As a dessert fruit, the apricot is esteemed next 

 to the peach ; it is also esteemed a most superior fruit, when 

 used in pastry, for marmalade, jellies, and preserves ; it is 

 also stated to make a delicious liqueur. In France and 

 Germany, according to Dr. Willich, the Orange Apricot is 

 usually preserved in a dried state for winter, when they 



