184 



FRLITS. 



[chap. 



at a very early age ; but, then, there is another consideration with 

 regard to which even cherries form no exception ; and that is 

 that if the fruit be too numerous it is smaller than it ought to be. 

 Perhaps in hardly any case, the greater number produces any 

 thing like a proportionate weight to the smaller number ; and, as 

 to the quality^ the superiority of the small number is great indeed. 

 The apricot should not be gathered until it be almost ready to 

 fail from the tree ; and, if the sort be good, it is preferred by many 

 persons to the peach. As to sorts, the follo\dng are those men- 

 tioned by Mr. Aiton in the Hortus Kewinsis : the Black, the 

 ,]3r;'ssels, the Masculine, the Moor Park, and the Royal Orange. 

 For my part, I lecommend the Moor Park, and the Turkey, The 

 former is fine, and a good bearer : the latter not a good bearer, 

 but superlatively fine. Mr. Marshall recommends the Preda, 

 to ripen in September, The Masculine, the Brussels, and the 

 Black, are cultivated only because they come early : they are in 

 my opinion very poor fruit ; they might be planted as espaliers in 

 very warm situations, but are certainly unworthy of a good wall. 

 Besides the use of apricots as fruit from the tree, they make the 

 most delicious of all preserves ; and, while in the season of their 

 ripeness, mixing them with apples in pies and tarts, makes a great 

 improvement in the article. The apricot is, on all accounts, a 

 tree deserving of the greatest attention : it usually blows in 

 February or March at the latest, and ought to be pruned before 

 the blossom buds begin to burst. As to the protecting of the 

 blossoms from frost, I shall give general directions for that under 

 the head of Peach. 



264. BARBERRY.— This fruit is well known. The tree or 

 shrub on which it grows is raised from the seed or from suckers or 

 layers. It needs little care, and should stand in the outer part 

 of the garden, and in the shade of the hedge, for the hot sun 

 tends to prevent the fruit from growing large. 



26o. CHERRY. — Cherries are budded or grafted upon stocks 

 raised from cherry-stones, of the manner of raising which stocks I 

 have spoken under the head of Propagation. If you wish to 

 have the cherry-tree for a wall or an espalier, the stocks should be 

 raised from the stones of the Morello, or the May-Duke. As to 

 the management of the tree in its early stages, and the planting of 

 it out, directions have been given under the head of Planting. 

 Cherry-trees, except the Morello and one or two more, bear upon 



