ARMENIACA, APRICOT TREE. 143 



that bends outward. The margins are deeply dentate & bidentate. They're three-and-a- 

 quarter inches long & two inches eight lignes wide. Some are much wider in proportion 

 to their length. The ten to fifteen ligne long petiole, part of the midrib, & even part of the 

 small veins are tinged deep red. 



The fruit is small, flattened along its length and somewhat smaller at the top. 

 Generally the groove is barely detectable. The stalk inserts into a narrow & deep cavity. 

 The fruit is fifteen lignes in height, a little less across its large diameter, & thirteen lignes 

 across its small diameter. The largest ones are about a ligne more in each dimension. 



The skin is a yellowish green when in the shade. The sunny side is a deep yellow 

 wood color and is covered with very small reddish spots that look like large conspicuous 

 points. Infrequently it takes on a bit of red color. 



The flesh is very soft, practically melting in the mouth. It's a very deep reddish 

 yellow. 



The juice is plentiful. It has an accented wine-like flavor mingled with a slight 

 bitterness that is not unpleasant. 



The pit is large & flat, nine-&-a-half lignes long, nine lignes wide, and four-&-a- 

 half lignes thick. In some regions it's not as big. The kernel is large, very full, & bitter. 



It ripens in mid-August. 



Because the clingstone apricot tree is customarily propagated by seed planting, 

 there are some differences that appear in the leaves & in some parts of individual trees, 

 but they aren't sufficient to establish distinct varieties. The most highly regarded of all of 

 them is the clingstone apricot tree of Mongamet. It's claimed that it succeeds well only in 

 this village & in the vicinity of Tours where clingstone apricot trees are very common. 



