FRUIT CULTURE IN AMERICA 315 



varieties of Prunus amer'tcana are the hardiest, and more of them are under culti- 

 vation than of any other native species. Wyant, Stoddard, Hawkeye, Ocheeda, 

 and Rockford are among the best. They will succeed where the temperature 

 drops to 45 degs. below zero. There are several other native species that are 

 not very hardy but have choice varieties. But the hybrids between all these 

 species and the foreign sorts, especially the Japanese, are of the greatest interest. 

 Although this work has only fairly begun, the results are already very satis- 

 factory. 



Culture. — The common distance apart in the orchard for plum trees is 

 about 20 feet. Thorough tillage is the rule, and where the soil is thin manuring 

 is essential. In the great prune orchards of the west very little fertilising is 

 necessary, because of the natural richness of the soil. Orchards of one hundred 

 acres or more of one variety are common there. From a single point, in Cali- 

 fornia and adjacent States, it is possible to see thousands of acres of prune orchards, 

 and all kept scrupulously clean and under a high state of cultivation. There are 

 different opinions about pruning plum trees, as with those of other fruits, but it 

 is the general practice to cut back rather severely for about four years to secure a 

 stocky form and then prune moderately each year after. 



THE APRICOT 



Of the many fruits that came from Europe to America the apricot has been 

 grown about as long as any, but owing to the ravages of the plum curculio, 

 which has proved a terrible pest to it, it was only occasionally that a tree bore 

 profitably until the settlement of California. There, and in all the region west 

 of the Rocky Mountains, apricots are grown with the greatest ease ; indeed one 

 of their chief faults is over-cropping. There are very extensive apricot orchards 

 in the valleys of California and Idaho, and to some extent in Oregon, Washing- 

 ton, Arizona, Utah, and the western part of Colorado. In those regions they 

 are grown principally for drying and canning, although all that are needed for 

 home use are consumed in the fresh state, and many thousands of bushels are 

 annually sent to our eastern markets. California alone has sold over 30,000,000 

 pounds of dried apricots in one year. In a few districts of the East, especially in 

 New York, the apricot is grown in a commercial way. The trees are planted 

 about 25 feet apart and cultivated the same as peach trees. No more beautiful 

 sight in the way of growing fruits can be found than an apricot orchard loaded 

 with fruit ready to be gathered. The trees require frequent pruning. The best 

 varieties have been brought from Southern Europe and a few from Asia, but 

 many of those most highly prized are seedlings of native origin. Royal, which 

 is a French variety, and Moorpark, of English origin, are two of the most 

 popular varieties grown. Newcastle, Eureka, and Routier are of Californian 

 origin. 



THE CHERRY 



There are no cherries of importance indigenous to America. The best 

 varieties have been brought from Europe from the time of the earliest settle- 



