208 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



As the Apricot is an early grower, and ripens its 

 fruit in July and August, not only may its summer 

 pinching and pruning, hut most of what is called 

 winter pruning, be completed during the growing 

 season. As soon as the fruit is gathered, all super- 

 fluous or weakly-growing shoots, of any age or size, 

 may be removed to afford more scope, and freer space, 

 for the young wood already provided to succeed it in 

 furnishing the trees, and in providing fruit-bearing 

 wood. 



Towards the end of August the shoots of the 

 current year may generally be cut back to within a 

 foot or so of their base. This will plump up and 

 fill out the buds left, and result in a full show 

 of strong blossom-buds the following spring. 



Winter pruning is thus practically abolished. 

 On the principle of letting well alone, the trees 

 should be allowed to rest thus till the ensuing 

 February or March, at which season they may be 

 examined, knife in hand, for the removal, or cutting 

 back, of any shoots injured by the winter, or any 

 useless or ill-placed shootlet that may have escaped 

 notice when the trees were pruned in full foliage in 

 the autumn. This spring pruning also affords a 

 good opportunity for the removal of ties or shreds, 

 or the re-tying and training of the trees in cases 

 where they may have been removed from the wall for 

 the winter — as recommended for retarding Peaches. 



Protection in the spring has been sufficiently 

 described under Peaches. In the case of loose- 

 trained trees backed up against the gable-ends 

 of houses, or other walls, there is no protection so 

 efficient as a thin screen of boughs placed on the 

 tree itself, and among the outstanding branches. 

 The projecting roofs, and the warmth of the chimney, 

 where the latter runs up in the end gable, are, how- 

 ever, generally sufficient without any other pro- 

 tection. Trees of this form have also far greater 

 self-protective powers than those displayed in single- 

 branch file over the wall-surface. 



General cultivation has also been treated of in 

 regard to Peaches ; but here one or two points 

 need intensifying. The time of thinning should 

 be early, the extent of it severe. Both considerations 

 also receive additional enforcement from the fact 

 of the usefulness of the thinnings. In not a few 

 establishments green Apricots for tarts, and even for 

 jam, are preferred to ripe ; and yet no trees have 

 suffered more from overcropping. Fortunately for 

 the lovers of green Apricots, the fruit does not seem 

 to strain or drain the trees very severely until the 

 stoning period is reached, and three weeks before- the 

 stones harden, green Apricots are in the best possible 

 condition for use. A fruit for every six inches 

 of wall-space would be a heavy crop, provided the 

 variety were of average size, as the Moorpark. 



The trees should never be permitted to flag, nor 

 the roots to suffer from any lack of water. Drought 

 at the roots is also one of the main causes of the 

 fruit dropping off prematurely. AVith the borders 

 thoroughly drained, Apricots can hardly be over- 

 watered during seasons of great heat and drought. 

 Overhead delugings with the engine are also of 

 great use in cooling and refreshing the tops of the 

 trees, as well as keeping them clean, and enlarging 

 the size of the fruits. 



Few trees benefit more from a surface mulch of 

 dung about three inches in thickness than Apricots, 

 if the weather is hot and the crop large. 



Unequal Ripening and Premature Rot- 

 ting of the Fruit. — This is very prevalent in 

 some localities. It may also result from sudden 

 and severe changes of weather. But in many cases 

 it is the result of the undue exposure of the 

 fruit to the light and heat of the sun. This 

 results in a partial scorching, or scalding, of the 

 upper portion of the fruit. Abundance of healthy 

 foliage and young wood checks or prevents the evil. 

 Towards the latter stages of ripening it is also 

 possible to expose more fully to the light the base or 

 shady side of the fruit. 



Certain varieties, such as the Royal, are more 

 liable to unequal ripening, and premature Totting, 

 than others. The latter is often induced by injury 

 from careless handling, bruises from hailstorms, and 

 the touch or tastes of wasps or flies. Though the 

 punctures of the latter may be too small to be seen, 

 wherever they touch such fruits decomposition 

 follows almost immediately. 



Gathering of Apricots.— Similar care should 

 be taken in regard to the time and mode of gathering 

 as already prescribed for Peaches. Gather in the 

 cool of the morning, and keep in a cool cellar or 

 room till wanted, if you would enjoy to the utmost 

 the rich and full flavour, and indescribable aroma, of 

 jDerfect Apricots. 



Apricots in Pots.— So far as their culture 

 in orchard-houses or other glass-houses is concerned, 

 this has been already described. But Apricots may 

 also be grown in pots in the open air. Capital 

 fruit-bearing Apricots may be produced, and kept in 

 good bearing condition for some years, in twelve, 

 fifteen, or eighteen-inch pots, or tubs, and thus a 

 highly ornamental free-blooming tree, as well as lus- 

 cious fruit, enjoyed on balconies, or in areas or yards. 

 The pots should be crocked with smashed bones, filled 

 with good loam, or other rich friable soil, mulched 

 over the surface with rich manure, and copiously 

 watered, and there need be little doubt of success. 



