Prunus 



(240 ) 



Prunus 



PRUNUS. 



Description. A large genus of deciduous and 

 evergreen trees and shrubs (ord. llosaceas), mostly 

 hardy, and often highly valued for their fruits. 

 They are also prized for the beauty of their flowers, 

 which precede or accompany the leaves, the former 

 being valued for their earliness. Peaches and 

 Almonds are amongst the earliest trees to brighten 

 the garden and grounds in spring. 



Propagation. By seeds for the species and to 

 obtain stocks. Budding and grafting are adopted 

 in the case of fruit trees. Some produce suckers, 

 which may be detached. Layering is also practised 

 to obtain stocks. 



Classification. Botanists have always experi- 

 enced a difficulty in finding distinctions that would 

 effectually separate the species of Amygdalus, 

 ArmrniacH, Cerasus, and Prunus, and as they are 

 closely allied they are now all classed under 

 Prunus. For garden purposes it is convenient to 

 place them in groups, as this gives a ready clue to 

 the character of the trees under consideration. 

 Peaches and Almonds have nearly stulkless flowers, 

 a wrinkled stone, and the leaves folded in bud. 

 Apricots have stalkless or stalked flowers, a smooth 

 stone, furrowed at the edges, and leaves rolled in 

 bud. Plums have stalked flowers, the leaves rolled 

 in bud, and the fruits mostly covered with a 



Photo: Casselt & Company, Ltd. 



Pitrxrs JlAiiAi.r.1: v. 1 



Soil. Ordinary well-drained garden soil for all 

 the hardy species. Fruit trees are highly bene- 

 fited by lime in the soil, and where this is deficient 

 it should be supplied in the form of dressings. 



Other Cultural Points. For the pruning of trees 

 grown for fruit, see PRUNING. As the ornamental 

 species flower on the shoots and spurs of the 

 previous year's growth, all necessary pruning 

 should be deferred till the petals fall. Trees upon 

 walls sometimes require a considerable amount of 

 pruning, as in triloba. If this is accomplished 

 immediately the flowers are over, the tree has time 

 to develop and mature flowering wood for the next 

 year. Triloba does best on walls, but succeeds as 

 a bush in the open ; and both this and Peaches, 

 Almonds, and pseudo-cerasus are popular subjects 

 for pot culture and forcing. Trees and bushes in 

 the open ground should also receive the necessary 

 thinning or trimming just after flowering. 



glaucous bloom. Cherries have stalked flowers, 

 fruits without bloom, and the leaves folded in bud 

 like the Peach. Bird Cherries have their flowers 

 in racemes. Laurel Cherries differ from Bird 

 Cherries by having evergreen leaves. All those 

 enumerated are hardy. 



ALMONDS AND PEACHES. 

 Principal Species and Varieties : 

 Amygdalus, 20' to 30', Persica, 15' to 30', Mch., 

 Ap., ro. (sy. Persica 

 vnlgaris). The Peach. 



Olura Mayer, double, 

 red ; one of the best. 



flore roseo plcno, double 



Mch., Ap., ro. or wh. 

 The Almond. 



flore pleno, double red. 



macrocarpa, pale ro. ; 

 the largest. 



davidiaua, 10' to 20', Jan., 

 Feb., Mch., palero. 



alba, wh. 



nana, 2' to 3', Mch., Ap. , 

 ro. Dwarf Almond. 



flore albo pleno, double 

 wh. 



foliis rubris, Ivs. pur. 

 Purple-leaved Peach. 



