28 



THE FRUIT GARDEN 



the moist climate of Anglesea could not be removed, and consequently the 

 blossoms used not to set well. However, this difficulty was removed by having 

 a flow and return hot-water pipe, which was never used excepting when the 

 trees were in bloom, and then always with as much dry air as could be admitted. 



Good crops were afterwards secured, 

 although from my experience of the 

 apricot it does not bear so freely 

 under glass as it does out of doors. 

 The best example of this system of 

 culture was once to be seen at Wel- 

 beck Abbey, the seat of his Grace 

 the Duke of Portland, where a great 

 extent of glass-covered walls was 

 devoted to apricot culture. The 

 important points to remember for 

 the successful cultivation of this fruit 

 under glass are : keep the house fairly 

 cool at all times ; do not use fire heat 

 except when the trees are in bloom, 

 and then only in conjunction with 

 as much air as can be safely given, 

 remembering that the atmosphere of 

 the house — at least for a few hours 

 in the day — should be dry, when the 

 , J V . . ■ J . £,., , c c u .1, flowers should be fertilised by being 



A side shoot pinched at fifth leaf from base, the _ , ^ l j ■ i_ .1 



object being to keep bearing wood near branch and ---^ — - ' 



limit growth to space at command ; laterals are 

 pinched to one or two leaves ; [p] terminal growth 

 ' [q] a. side shoot, 



Characteristic Growth with Side Shoots 

 Pinched 



(0) 



of a leafless branch ; 



leafless, 



gently brushed over with a camel- 

 hair brush or a rabbit's tail. When 

 a crop is secured, and the final thin- 

 pinched similarly to ■ (r) spurs, the rounded buds ^ing is over, the fruits mav be forced 



are blossom buds, the pointed (terminal) ones are ,,. ,, ■ ■' , r 



wood buds ; (s) wood buds ; (t) blossom buds. by Closing the house in the after- 

 noon, but not too early, syringing, 

 of course, before closing. In this way ripe fruit can be had three weeks or 

 a month before it is ripe out of doors. Quality and flavour are so much 

 improved when the apricot is grown under glass that a house or two devoted 

 to its culture should be included in every good garden. 



Varieties. — The following are recommended for culture under glass : — 

 Frogmore Early, New Large Early, Grosse Pkhe, Oullin's Early, Shipley's, Moor 

 Park, Hemskerk, Large Early, Powell's Late, Large Red. 



VARIETIES 



By GEORGE BUNYARD 



Varieties of apricots in many cases closely resemble each other, although the 

 trees differ in growth and foliage. 



Breda. — Rather large, richly flavoured. Tree hardy and a good bearer. This 

 apricot succeeds in many spots as a standard tree. 



