THE APRICOT. 



195 



The soil should be trenched; and in so doing, 

 if the soil, or part of it, is clayey and rather 

 adhesive, it should be turned up to the top, 

 where it will be rendered permeable by the 

 weather. Turf which contains much fibre is 

 excellent for mixing with heavy soils; lime 

 rubble, brick rubbish, old plaster, road sidings, 

 turf parings, burnt soil, and wood ashes also 

 may be added to the soil with benefit. 



Borders for Apricots should be from 8 to 

 10 feet wide, 2 feet 6 inches deep, and with 

 a base of 9 inches of drainage. If the locality 

 is damp and low-lying, the bottom of the border- 

 had better be concreted. 



In the south of England some kinds of Apri- 

 cots, such as the Breda, bear well as standards 

 if the spring weather is favourable; and although 

 the fruit of such is not so large as from trees 

 on walls, yet it is more juicy and of richer 

 flavour. The trees may be planted as standards 

 at from 20 to 25 feet apart. The Apricot, how- 

 ever, is chiefly cultivated against walls. In the 

 warmer parts of the country east and west 

 aspects are suitable; but an aspect inclined to 

 south-west or south-east is to be preferred; 

 whilst in the northern parts of England, and in 

 Scotland, a south aspect is generally necessary 

 to give the fruit its full flavour. 



The distance between trees against walls 

 should be from 15 to 20 feet. Planting may 

 be performed in the end of September, for the 

 buds on the lower part of the shoots are 

 matured early in the season, and growth stops 

 in August, or at least the elongation of the 

 shoots is almost entirely arrested at that period 

 for a short time. The shoots then make a fresh 

 start, and a marked difference may be observed 

 between the portion of the shoot produced 

 before and that after the stoppage. 



When the tree is about to be taken up, the 

 older leaves may be cut off from the lower part 

 of the shoots. A few left on the second growth 

 will be sufficient to draw sap and maintain 

 circulation until fresh roots are formed; and 

 having done this before winter, the tree will 

 be ready to push in spring, and in the course 

 of the season will be well established and in 

 a condition to produce vigorous shoots. If the 

 weather should be hot, and the staple dry at 

 the time of planting, settle the soil about the 

 roots with copious supplies of water. Planting 

 ma^ also be done in October, or during the 

 first fortnight of November; but if later than 

 this, fresh roots cannot be expected to be made 

 before spring. If the borders cannot be pre- 

 pared in the autumn, planting may be per- 



formed any time during mild weather in the 

 months of December and January, but not 

 later than the middle of February. As already 

 observed, the Apricot vegetates early, and the 

 trees do not grow so vigorously if transplanted 

 after they have commenced to push. It is a 

 good plan to plant a few maidens each year, 

 so that there may be a stock of nice healthy 

 trees ready to hand for making good defi- 

 ciencies as they occur. This is preferable to 

 purchasing trained trees, as they can be lifted 

 in good time and with a good ball of soil 

 attached to the roots, so that they may be 

 partly established before winter sets in. 



Pruning and Training. — Fan -training is the 

 best for the Apricot, because the branches are 

 apt to die off, and, as explained in treating 

 of the Plum, vacancies can be most readily 

 filled up. Besides, the tree is one of those 

 which do not admit of horizontal branches 

 being taken from an upright stem without the 

 risk of such branches dying. 



Commencing the training with a maiden 

 plant, consisting of one upright vigorous shoot, 

 let the latter be cut down in autumn to 10 

 inches from the ground, and from the buds 

 immediately below the section let three shoots 

 be encouraged, one to be trained upright, and 

 one on each side for the lowest pair of branches. 

 It is of the utmost importance to manage these 

 three shoots so that the two side ones may be 

 as strong as, or even rather stronger than, the 

 upright one, which, if left to themselves, would 

 not likely be the case. The central one should 

 be checked early in June, when the wood will 

 be firm as far up from the base as the place to 

 which it will have to be cut back in autumn, 

 at which time the two side-shoots ought to be 

 of equal thickness and vigour, and stronger 

 than the central one. 



The trees should be frequently inspected 

 during the growing season, and if the side- 

 branches are evidently not keeping pace with 

 the central upright, means must be taken to 

 check its progress, and the sooner such means 

 are taken the better. The flow of sap is easily 

 diverted in greater force to any shoot that is 

 on an equality, or nearly so, with those towards 

 which the flow is intended to be in a diminished 

 ratio ; but when any shoot or shoots have been 

 drawing an undue share, it is not an easy 

 matter to divert the sap into less vigorous 

 shoots. It can, however, gradually be effected 

 by encouraging an increased breadth of foliage 

 in the wQak parts, and diminishing that con- 

 nected with the strong. 



