1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



89 



grass path, shown in the plan by dott«d lines. 

 Leaving this path opposite the north end of 

 the Roses, we find our wa}' into a grass-car- 

 peted retreat in the midst of the deciduous 

 shrubben, and in this lovel.v spot a well 

 chosen seat. Bordering around this retreat is 

 such a variety of shrubs, commencing with 

 the April-flowering Mezeron Pink and ending 

 with Hydrangea and Witch Hazel in autumn, 

 thit one scarcely ever enteis the spot in com 

 fortable weather without finding some shiubs 

 in bloom. Should your 

 visit occur in May or 

 June, the place would 

 be found redolent with 

 the perfume of Lilacs, 

 Syringias and other 

 sweet blooms near by. 



Returning to the 

 walk, directly beyond 

 another opening to the 

 right is met and this 

 leads to the grassy 

 Shmbbery Walk, and 

 to the Arbor, which 

 formed so striking an 

 object as seen from the 

 verauda. Of shrubs in 

 this locality, it is 

 enough to say that 

 the}' represent a fine 

 assortment of both 

 rare and conunon 

 kinds, with evergreens 

 predominating closely 

 about the arbor. The 

 Shrubbery Walk is al- 

 ways a favorite stroll- 

 ing place. Coming 

 back to and continuing 

 along the west walk. 



we soon reach a secluded, but most interesting 

 spot, namely, the Rockery, and near at 

 hand in the midst of evergreens, the Alpine 

 Garden. A goodly portion of our time could 

 be spent here at anj' season, studying the num- 

 erous plants, from water lovers to Alpines, that 

 hereabouts find a suitable home. 



Beyond the Rockery no gravel walk extends, 

 for here we approach the Wild Garden section, 

 where unkept grass paths are more in keeping. 

 Continuing on in this path we at once come, by 

 a slight fall in the ground, to a fork, the right 

 branch of which leads to the Nut Grove and 

 Fruit Garden on the rise ahead, the left con- 

 tinuing in the low part across the lakelet by a 

 stone bridge. From this latter branch we are, 

 by a short turn to the left after leaving the 

 bridge, brought to the Fernery. Continuing 

 on in this path we reach the Wild Garden, the 

 Aquatics and the Bog Plants. This section is 

 a stranger to the close-cutting mower, and 

 in diverging from the path visitors may as 

 well walk with eyes open, or they may find 

 themselves in the embrace of sundry Rose 

 Briers, Brambles, Thorns and other interesting 

 wild plants, which in their proper place are by 

 no means weeds. Recrossing the water, a rill 

 at this place, we come to wild vines clamber- 

 ing over rocks on a steep slope and beyond and 

 above which is a large Walnut tree on the verge 

 of the Fruit Garden. Here, after our tramp 

 half way around the place through the orna- 

 mental grounds, and before visiting the fruit 

 garden, let us take a rest on the inviting rustic 

 bench beneath the Walnut's copious shade. 



to the former. It has the broad leaf and 

 smooth stone of the Plum, with the bloom of 

 the Peach. It has also a strong resemblance to 

 the form, beauty and flavor of the latter. Our 

 engraving of an Apricot is of one of the lar- 



gest varieties in cultivation, the Moorep ark 

 and this might readily pass for a Peach. Asi 

 for its season of ripening, the Apricot follows in 

 a very desirable manner, closely on the Cherry, 

 and extends to the Peach season. 



Of various causes that have worked against 

 the popularity of this fruit, that of its liabil- 

 ity to sufl'er from the Curculio which has 

 proved such an enemy to Plum culture, and, 

 then , the fact that the tree fails on some kinds of 

 soil, are the most prominent. As to Curculio, 

 it is a matter of rejoicing that throughout the 

 etistem section of the country at least its attacks 

 are now decidedly on the wane. We may hope 

 soon to be nearly free from its presence, and 

 then both Plum and Apricot culture will stand 

 on a mere promising basis. But in those sec- 

 tions where this insect is still very destructive 

 the simple remedy of jarring them from the 



what above the forty-third degree of latitude. 



The trees succeed either on heavy or light soil, 



provided the conditions named are in a good 



degree met. Where the fomier kind of SOU 



is possessed, the nurseryman who piovides 



the trees should be 



asked to furnish them 



worked on Plum stocks ; 



in the case of light, 



loamy or gravelly soil, 



trees on Peach stocks 



should be ordered. 



Nurserymen usually 



keep both kinds. 



Another characteris- 

 tic of the Apricot, 

 which under some cir- 

 cumstances is unfavor- 

 able, is its earliness — 

 the blossoms coming at 

 a season when frosts 

 are yet prevalent. To 

 avert clanger here 

 several resources offer. 

 ( )ne of these is to plant 

 on land having a north- 

 ern or other exposure 

 that would tend to 

 keep back the bloom 

 somewhat; the other, 

 to plant near to a bui Id- 

 ing, fence or trellise, as 

 shown in figures 3 and 

 3, the trees in these 

 cases to be trained in 

 Espalier form, a sys- 

 tem for which they are 

 FIG. 1. THE MOOREPARK APRICOT. admii'ably adapted. 



I The suitability of the Apricot to culture 

 against buUdiugs and walls is one of its most 

 I promising qualities. The sides of stables, 

 outhouses and sheds, walls, fences, and even 

 the walls of dwellings, could in innumerable 

 cases be devoted to this delicious fruit, raising 

 large crops where now nothing is raised. Not 

 only would the fruit prove of much value for 

 consumption or sale, but the tree, independent 

 of this, would be decidedly ornamental in 

 foliage and in the blooming season. 



In furnishing walls the area to each Apricot 

 tree may vary from 12 to 30 feet in length 

 along the wall. There should be a consider- 

 able depth of good soil and in this the roots 

 should in planting be carefully arranged. 



One marked advantage of the wall system of 

 growing Apricots is that in case of severe late 

 frosts there is a reduced liability to injury, 

 from the fact of the tree being close to a 

 wall. Besides, here it is easj' to protect them 

 with mats, or by setting up some shutters or 



The Apricot as a Popular Fruit. I 



Here is a fruit ranking among the hardier 

 kinds : the earliest of all the large stone fruits 

 by some weeks , exceedingly delicious and per- 

 haps the handsomest of all, yet its cultm-e is 

 very limited. If we can therefore offer any 

 words for the Apricot which shall lead to its 

 being more widely planted, a desirable thing 

 will have been accomplished. 



In its general character the Apricot stands 

 between the Plum and the Peach, but nearest 



Fig. 2. An Apricot Tree against 

 a Dwelling House. 



Fig.^. An Apricot Tree IrainedQon a Wall. 



tree upon sheets and then burning thera, which 

 proves so effective in the case of Plums, is as 

 well adapted to the other. 



On soil that is shallow, or such as is under- 

 laid by a cold or wet subsoil, the Apricot does 

 not succeed. On that which is deep and dry, 

 and especially in situations somewhat shel- 

 tered from sweeping gales, this fruit may be 

 relied on to do well as far north as or even some 



boards when danger from frost threatens. 



Some authorities object to planting the 

 Apricot on a south wall, because of its start- 

 ing earlier here, hence more liable to receive 

 injury from Spring frosts. One of the finest 

 Apricot trees we know of, and growing some- 

 what farthei- north than the latitude of Buffalo, 

 is trained over a south wall. In seven years 

 the buds have not been killed by frost. 



