THE HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



209 



Varieties of the Apricot.— Fortunately these 

 are by no means numerous, and even of three dozen 

 or so described, not more than a dozen varieties are 

 worth growing. A few of these, again, are so pre- 

 eminently superior that not a few cultivators only 

 grow one, or at the most two varieties — the Moor- 

 park and the early variety of the same. The latter 

 is in. most respects identical with the former, only 

 three weeks earlier. 



The Moorpark has also a 

 good many synonyms, but 

 can generally be had true 

 from the trade under its 

 common name of the 

 Moorpark. It is a large, 

 roundish, rather irregu- 

 larly-shaped fruit, pale yel- 

 low on the shady, and rich 

 orange suffused with red- 

 dish-brown on the siuiHy 

 side ; flesh juicy and 

 vinous, of a deep orange- 

 colour, Separating freely 

 from the stone; kernel 

 bitter. Kipens in August 

 and September, 



The Peach Apricot is so 

 much' like the Moorpark 

 as to be considered by 

 many identical with it. 

 And as both reproduce 

 themselves pretty truly 

 from seeds, the Moorpark 

 is probably a seedling of 

 the Peach, or utce versd. 



Hemskerk — this is another 

 good Apricot, greatly re- 

 sembling the Moorpark in 

 all particulars down to the 

 bitterness of its kernel. 

 It, however, ripens almost 

 a month earlier, and is a 

 much hardier variety, far 

 less liable to mildew and 

 branch-perishing than the 

 Moorpark. 



To these may be added :- 



Blenheim, or Shipley's — 

 ripens about a fortnight 

 before the Moorpark, 



Progmore Early — an early 

 variety of excellent 

 quality. 



Large Early. 



Large Bed. 



Eoyal — this is another fine 

 Apricot of the Moorpark 

 type, that ripens early in 

 August. 



Kaisha — connoisseurs 

 among Apricots mostly 

 ^ive the iirst place for 

 quality to this variety. The 

 fruit is of medium size, 

 pale brown colour on the 

 shady side, andof thesame 

 colour, mottled with red, 

 on the sunny side ; flebli 

 dear pale yellow, almost 

 transparent, of most rich 

 and vinous flavour; the 

 kernel sweet. Bipe to- 

 wards the middle of 

 August. 



Musch-Musch — this is an 

 Apricot of very similar 

 quality to the Kaisha, 

 though the tree is less 

 hardy, and it is not nearly 

 such a full cropper. The 

 colour is a mixture or' 

 lemon and orange, with a 

 slight tinge of red; the 

 transparency of the flesh 

 is more definite than in 

 theKaisha, and the quality 

 of the flesh, and sweetness 

 of the kernel, all ihat 

 could possibly Ije desired. 

 It ripens from the middle 

 to the end of July. 



Orange — a clingstone, much 

 valued for preserving. 



Pine-apple. 



Bed Masculine. 



Bivers's New Large Early — 

 richer and earlier than 

 the- Large Early. 



The Albergne and Breda may be added by those 

 who wish to try the Apricot as a standard in 

 warm nooks and comers in the open air. The 

 former is a free grower and a great bearer, and 

 comes almost true from seeds, kernels of which 

 are bitter ; the flesh clings to the stone, is of deep 

 orange-colour, with a peculiar perfumed flavour. 

 The latter is also very choice, with a kernel sweet 

 as a filbert; the flesh is deep orange, and highly 

 flavoured, separating freely from the stone. Both of 

 these varieties, or others under their names, have 

 been much grown and greatly prized for preserving, 

 but for dessert neither of them is comparable to 

 the Kaisha, the Musch-Musch, or the Moorpark, with 

 its several allies here enumerated. 

 86 



Several varieties, such as the Golden Drop, and 

 White Masculine, are omitted owing to the tender 

 character of the trees. Turkey, Roman, Brussels, 

 and others are omitted as being decidedly inferior 

 to those here enumerated. 



Diseases and Insects. — These are to a large 

 extent similar to those that attack the Peach and 

 Nectarine, though few of them attack the Apricot 

 to the same extent. Aphides, or red spider, for 

 example, seldom do much injury to Apricots, nor is 

 the blistering of the leaves anything like so frequent, 

 or so pronounced, as on Peaches. 



On the other hand, the Apricot is very liable to 

 a most destructive disease, that seldom attacks 

 Peaches or Nectarines, nor injures them to the same 

 extent. This is mostly known by the name of limb- 

 perishing. Trees in full health and vigour to-day, 

 suddenly flag in one or several limbs, or even 

 throughout the whole tree, and in a week or so they 

 are totally wrecked, or completely disfigured for 

 life. There is really no cure for this most trouble- 

 some disease. The best preservatives are : deep, rather 

 moist and cool borders ; cool aspects ; abundance of 

 water to reach the lower roots ; careful protection of 

 the base of the main branches and boles of the tree 

 with hay-bands, or other slow-conducting wraps, to 

 protect them from violent extremes of heat and cold. 



Canker is often developed simultaneously with 

 limb-perishing, and doubtless at times produces it ; 

 removal of the cankered parts where practicable, 

 Mid lifting and replanting the trees in fresh soil, may 

 n^derate the Tirulency, or even cure this dire disease. 

 The same remedy, that of lifting and planting in 

 new and better and deeper borders, not seldom cures 

 mildew. As a local remedy sulphur-dusting is still 

 the best we have to offer. The new preparation of 

 sulphide of potassium (Harris) applied in a liquid 

 state in the ratio of a quarter or half an ounce to a 

 gallon of water, seems more speedily effective than 

 dry sulphur. But over-cropping, and drought at 

 the roots, are generally the radical causes of canker 

 and mildew. 



The most troublesome caterpillar on Apricots is 

 the greenish-yellow Ditula angustiorana, which, 

 with others, gives notice of its presence by' bind- 

 ing the leaves or young shoots together with a 

 glutinous web. The moment these are seen they 

 should be collected and destroyed, thus preventing 

 the moths being hatched, which mostly happens in 

 June. 



Ants, earwigs, wasps, flies, butterflies, birds, mice, 

 rats, squirrels, snails, are equally troublesome, and 

 even more destructive among Apricots than among 

 Peaches and Nectarines, and must be destroyed by 

 similar methods if perfect fruit is to be enjoyed. 



