986 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



it would be quite useless to go to the expense of adding more, 

 and as has been already stated, local conditions should determine 

 what is necessary to be done. Old plaster or mortar refuse is 

 useful for supplying lime ; and, to keep the soil open and porous, 

 wood-ashes, burnt vegetable refuse, roadside scrapings, &c., are all 

 excellent for mixing with it and improving its quality for the roots. 

 No doubt, the best soil for this fruit is a rich and rather sandy 

 loam ; but, even then, a great deal depends on the stock upon 

 which the Apricot is worked ; some consider the Brompton stock 

 a good one, but as a rule the trees do not attain old age thereon. 

 The St. Julien is much better, but it is doubtful if that is so 

 suitable on all soils as the Mussel stock, and our experience is 

 decidedly in favour of the last-named as producing a healthy and 

 fruitful tree. 



In purchasing trees, if any exhibit signs of gumming, they ought 

 to be rejected at once, only planting clean and healthy- looking 

 trees, that also possess plenty of nice fibrous roots ; long straggling 

 roots should be cut back, and any broken pieces taken clean away. 

 Planting may be done either in the autumn or in the early 

 spring ; the former is much the better season, as trees planted 

 at the end of October or early in November become half 

 established almost immediately owing to the warmth remaining 

 in the soil, and consequently a strong and vigorous start into new 

 growth is made in the following spring. As already mentioned 

 for Apples, deep planting should be guarded against, and the 

 roots evenly distributed only a few inches below the surface, 

 putting fine soil over the roots, and then the rougher soil. 

 Make all very firm, and apply a mulch of strawy manure or 

 litter at once. When trees are planted against walls or wooden 

 fences, it is wise not to nail the trees to the wall for some 

 time, as the soil settles down a little, and when the tree is 

 secured to the wall, it cannot sink with the ground, and is therefore 

 partially drawn out of the soil. The distance from tree to tree 

 against walls may vary a little according to the height of the 

 wall, but as a general rule 20ft. is a fair distance. 



The pruning of Apricot-trees should be done both in summer 

 and in autumn ; in fact, they need attention from the time when 

 growth commences, in the timely removal of buds or embryo 

 shoots which are too numerous or badly placed. With a well- 

 formed tree in view, the cultivator ought to study where new 

 shoots are wanted and where they are not, selecting the best- 

 placed buds to remain and fill the blanks on the wall, and 

 rubbing away all those not required to make new shoots or to 

 form spurs. Later on in the summer, or towards the middle of 

 July, any very gross shoots will be all the better for a check by 

 the removal of the point, and all breast-wood may be cut 

 back to about four or five eyes or buds ; further, if a few leaves 

 that cover or hide the fruit are taken away, the latter will be 



