NECTAEINE 



HABDY FRUIT GABDEN 



APEICOT 1083 



Humboldt. — A delicious Orange 

 Nectarine, ripe in early September. 

 Fruit large, bright orange-yellow, stained 

 and streaked with deep crimson, especially 

 on the sunny side. 



The tree is strong and hardy, and bears 

 heavily. 



Lord Napier. — An excellent highly 

 flavoured Nectarine, ripe early in August, 

 and succeeding Early Rivers. Fruit 

 large, ovoid, pale cream or greenish- 

 yellow, mottled, streaked, and washed 

 with blood-red or crimson on the sunny 

 side. Flowers large. Glands kidney- 

 shaped. 



This is a strong grower, and bears 

 well. Suitable for pot culture (p. 1040). 



Pine Apple. — A yellow-fleshed and 

 highly luscious Nectarine, ripe early in 

 September. Fruit large, nearly oval, 

 pointed, deep orange and crimson. 



The tree is vigorous, and bears heavily . 

 Also good for pot culture (see p. 1040). 



Victoria. — A highly flavoured Necta- 

 rine, ripe at the end of September. Fruit 

 very roundish oval, flattened on top, 

 greenish-yellow, flushed with crimson on 

 the sunny side. 



The tree requires a warm soil and a 

 sheltered situation to bring its fruits to 

 perfection in the open air. Good for pot 

 culture (see p. 1040). 



Violette Hative. — This ripens at the 

 end of August, and has a rich and de- 

 licious flavour. Fruit medium, roundish- 

 ovoid; yellowish -green, deep purple-red, 

 mottled with brown on the sunny 

 side. Also good for pot culture (see 

 p. 1040). 



List of Nectarines in the order of 



ripening. 



Bipe m July.- 



-Early Elvers. 



Bipe m August 



Lord Napier. 



Darwin. 



Goldoni. 



Violette Hative. 

 Dryden. 



Bipe in September 

 Humboldt. I Victoria. 



Pine Apple. | 



THE APRICOT (Pbtjnus armbniaca). 

 , The Wild Apricot (see p. 358) is a native 

 of N. China, Japan, and other parts of 

 temperate Asia, but appears to have been 

 cultivated for centuries in Armenia and 

 Syria. In the British Islands it forms a 



very ornamental flowering tree, being in 

 bloom about February and March, long 

 before other fruit trees. This early flower- 

 ing is not an advantage in our climate, as 

 the blossoms and consequently the fruits 

 are likely to be irreparably injured by the 

 frosts and fogs prevailing at that period. 

 It is therefore almost essential in most 

 parts of the kingdom to have the flowers 

 protected as recommended for Peaches 

 and Nectarines, by wall copings, light 

 canvas, or better still, glass protectors 

 fitted on brackets on the top of the walls. 

 By this means not only will the blossoms 

 be protected from frost, but also kept dry, 

 and the pollen may be distributed more 

 easily for fertUising purposes. Except 

 perhaps in the warmest and most sheltered 

 parts of Devonshire and Cornwall, and 

 the South of Ireland, the Apricot is best 

 grown on south or south-west walls in the 

 same way as the Peach and Nectarine, as 

 there is little likelihood of obtaining fruit 

 in the open- air otherwise. 



Soil. — Apricots will flourish in the 

 same soil as Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, 

 and Cherries, but it may as a rule be of a 

 more chalky and sandy nature. It should 

 be deeply cultivated, a depth of 3-4 ft. 

 being none too much to produce the best 

 results. The drainage must be perfect 

 in every way, and where any doubt exists 

 in regard to it, the borders in which the 

 trees are grown should be filled in about 

 4 ft. below the surface with brickbats, old 

 mortar rubble, chnkers &c., over which 

 may be placed a good layer of turfy loam 

 or the top spit from a pasture, grass down- 

 wards. Cold heavy clayey soils should 

 be avoided, as they induce ' gumming ' 

 and sterihty, whatever fruits are pro- 

 duced often withering and falling before 

 maturity. 



Propagation. — Apricots are usually 

 increased by budding (p. 58) in June or 

 July, the stocks mostly used being varieties 

 of the Plum as used for the Peach and 

 Nectarine, and seedling Apricots raised 

 from the ' stones ' sown in August or 

 September, in the same way as Cherry 

 seeds (see p. 1075). Grafting (see p. 52) 

 may also be practised, but has not proved 

 to be so successful as budding. Apricots 

 may also be raised and fruited from seeds 

 sown as stated above, but this is only 

 practised for obtaining new varieties. 



In regard to disbudding, instead of 

 rubbing out the wood-buds as recommen- 

 ded for Peaches and Nectarines (p. 1080) 



