352 THE APRICOT. 



this insect, and by selecting a dry sub-soil, are able to obtain 

 heavy crops of this delicious midsummer fruit. 



More recently varieties from southern Russia have been in- 

 troduced, which, so far as hardiness and vigorous thrifty 

 growth are concerned, appear to have advantages over the 

 elder kinds in cultivation. But thus far in producing satisfac- 

 tory crops of fruit for market purposes, apricots east of the 

 Rocky Mountains neither North nor South have been very 

 successful except with a few skilful growers. 



By careful management, of which it is surely worthy, suffi- 

 cient for family use may be obtained wherever the fruit will 

 grow, but that apricots may be expected to be about as pro- 

 ductive as the peach, as one prominent authority has recently 

 stated, unless indeed in a few favored localities, is hardly prob- 

 able. The following varieties are the most worthy of culti- 

 vation : 



Varieties. 



Alexander. Medium, oblong, orange yellow, spotted red, sweet, 

 juicy, early. Good. Prolific. Freestone. Russian. 



Alexis. Large, yellow, red blush, sub-acid, rich and good. Does 



well in West. Ripens about July i5th. Russian. 



Black. (Purple Apricot, Noir, Violet.) Small or medium, round; 

 pale red where densely shaded, dull deep purple or nearly black 

 in the sun ; surface with a thin down ; flesh red near the skin, 

 yellowish at the stone, somewhat fib- 

 rous, sweet, slightly astringent, with ^ ^,_^ 



a pleasant, good flavor, inferior to the /^ ^ — - N. 



common apricots in quality. Kernel / V^^— — ».^_^ \ 



sweet ; adheres to the stone. Hardy / N. \ 



as an apple-tree, and very produc- / . ' \ \ 



tive. A distinct species {A. dasy- I - *. • \ \ 



car pa) from the other apricots. Ri- I • '". 1 I 



pens with the Breda. Reproduces I ' . * / / 



itself from the stone. There is an- \ ' • - / / 



other quite different apricot, called \ ' / / 



Violet or Red Angoumois ; small, ob- \ y / 



long, lighter red, free from the stone. N^. ^..y^y^ 



Blenheim. (Shipley.) Large, oval. pio. 487. -Breda, 



surface orange ; flesh deep yellow, 



juicy, rather rich. Stone roundish, not perforate. Kernel bit- 

 ter. A popular variety for canning in California. 



Breda.* (Holland, Amaude Aveline.) Rather small, sometimes 

 nearly medium (an inch and a half diameter), roundish, ob- 

 scurely foursided, suture distinct ; surface orange, with a dark 

 reddish orange cheek ; flesh deep orange, free from the stone, 



