THE APRICOT. 



Armeniaca vulgaris Dec. Rosacce of Botanists. 



THE common apricot is a fruit tree in occasional, but not general 

 cultivation. It is of olden date, having been mentioned by Colu- 

 mella, and, afterward, by Pliny and Dioscorides. The latter describes 

 it as known in Italy under the name prcecoci'i ; while the former 

 mentions, that it was introduced into that jountry about the six- 

 teenth year of the Christian era. Thunberg describes it as abound- 

 ing in Japan, and attaining the size of a large spreading tree. " The 

 Chinese," says Grossier, " have many varieties, which they cultivate 

 both for ornament and use." The barren mountains west of Pekin, 

 are described by the same author, as being covered with these trees. 

 And Professor Pallas states it to be " a native of almost the whole 

 range of the Caucasus." It is, also, stated to be from Armenia and 

 Arabia, and its name, derived from the Arabic, berkoche, whence the 

 Tuscan, bacoche or albicocco, and the English, apricock, and, finally, 

 apricot, about the end of the last century. Coxe, in his work, pub- 

 lished in 1817, says of the apricot, " This fruit is extremely tender, 

 in our severe winters in exposed or open situations, unprotected by 

 a wall." And similar statements have been made by writers, from 

 time to time, until, on account of this erroneous impression, of late 

 . years, its cultivation has been too much neglected. It is not more 

 tender as a tree than our sweet cherries ; and, contrary to general 

 statements, they do not require sheltered southern positions ; for in 

 climates like ours, such situations are the most objectionable, tend- 

 ing suddenly to excite or check the circulation of sap, expanding and 

 breaking the tissue of liber, often destroying the tree in an hour, 

 during the months of February or March, although not, perhaps, 

 apparent, until the flow of sap commences returning toward the root, 

 in June or July following. Northern or eastern exposures are best, 

 but, in southern or western positions, shielding the bodies and lower 

 limbs with cotton cloth dipped in whitewash, will often act as a 

 preventive. The trees should be shortened-in " freely, as with the 

 peach ; and standards should always be grown more in manner of 

 round-headed dwarfs, than otherwise ; for if so grown, injury to the 

 fruit from late spring frosts, can often be prevented, by covering 

 them with a cloth. 



Propagation. The apricot is generally propagated by budding 



