40 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



its flowers are so apt to be injured by frost unless the 

 trees are afforded some protection. Still, the fruit is 

 luscious, not only for eating in a ripe condition, but also 

 for preserving whole or making into jam. 



Propagation. The Apricot may be reared from seed or 

 increased by budding in July upon either the Brussels 

 Apricot, the Mussel, Damask, or St. Julien Plum stocks. 

 Apricots come fairly true from seed. The stones should 

 be taken from the best-formed and fully ripe fruits, and 

 buried in soil until February, then plant them about 2in. 

 deep and Sin. apart in sandy soil in a south border. In 

 autumn cover the bed with 6in. of litter as a protection 

 from frost. After the seedlings have made one year's 

 growth, lift and shorten the tap-roots, and then replant 

 3ft. apart against a west or a south-west wall, and train 

 them as advised in the chapter on ' 'Pruning and Training" 

 elsewhere. 



As regards the stocks for budding, the Brussels Apricot 

 is the best for trees that are required to cover a large 

 space, and the Mussel and St. Julien Plum for smaller 

 sized trees. The buds should be inserted in the main stem 

 of the stock, fairly close to the ground. 



Soil. The ideal soil for Apricots is a good friable loam 

 and a well-drained subsoil. Heavy, damp soils are quite 

 unsuitable. Very light, sandy soils, again, do not suit 

 the Apricot. In the latter case add some heavy loam 

 to make the soil more compact. It is advisable in all 

 cases to mix some old mortar with the soil, as Apricots, 

 like all stone fruits, love lime. No manures should be 

 mixed with the soil for planting; these are best applied 

 when the tree comes into bearing. 



Aspect. Experience has demonstrated the fact that 

 Apricots succeed best on east walls in the South of Eng- 

 land ; south walls in the Midlands ; and south-east in the 

 Northern Counties. Apricots cannot be relied upon to 

 ripen their crops in the open in Scotland. In the extreme 



