18 



APRICOT. ARTICHOKE. 



Manure for apple-trees, — Rotten leaves of trees are recom- 

 mended by Forsyth as the best manure for fruit-trees, which, 

 he says, is " much better than dung, which I by no means 

 approve of for trees, unless it be perfectly rotten, and mixed 

 up with mould. It is better, however, not to make use of 

 such leaves as manure for fruit-trees unless it be perfectly 

 rotten, and reduced to a fine vegetable mould." — ForsyWs 

 Treatise on Fruit-Trees^ pp. 62, 63, American edition. 



Use, — Besides the uses to which the fruit of this valuable 

 tree is applicable, the bark will produce a yellow colour, 

 and the wood is used in turning and various purposes, where 

 hardness, compactness, and variegation of colour are objects. 



APRICOT. — Primus Armeniaca. — The apricot-tree may 

 be procured from the stone, like the peach ; and approved 

 sorts are perpetuated by budding, either on their ov/n stocks 

 or on plum stocks. They require the same sort of treat- 

 ment as the peach and nectarine tree. The soil, which 

 suits them best, is a rich black mould, according to some 

 writers, but others recommend a light loam. " In our cli- 

 mate," says Dr. Thacher, this tree should be screened 

 from easterly and northerly winds ; otherwise, it is said, 

 they will not bear fruit, though they may grow very large. 

 They do not attain to a bearing state so soon as the peach 

 by one year. Some kinds ripen their fruit much earlier 

 than others. The following are those best adapted to our 

 climate : 



The black apricot, The large early apricot, 



The Brussels apricot, The peach apricot, 



The Breda apricot. The Moor's Park apricot. 



The early apricot, The Turkey apricot. 



A'RTlCJiOK'K.-'- Cynar a scolipnus, — There are, according 

 to Loudon, three varieties cultivated — conical, French, or 

 oval artichoke, with green head. The head is oval, the 

 scales open, and not turned in at the top, as in the globe 

 sort. Globe, or largest, with dusky, purplish head. The 

 scales are turned in at top, and the receptacle more succu- 

 lent than the other. The dwarfish globe, a prolific variety, 

 and valuable as occupying little room with its head. The 

 globe kind is the only one usually cultivated in this coun- 

 try. 



In making new plantations, select deep, rich, light loam, 

 not liable to retain much wet in winter, nor to be very dry 



