18 



APRICOT.— AKTICHOKE. 



Manure for apple-trees. — Kotten 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 t 

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

 rotten, and reduced to a fine vegetable mould." — Forsytk^s 

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



Use, — Besides the uses to Vvliich 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, Vv^here ^|| 

 hardness, compactness, and variegation of colour are objects. ' 



APRICOT. — Primus Armeniaca. — The apricot-tree m.ay 

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

 sorts are perpetuated by budding, either on their own 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 ; otherv»ise, 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 cur 

 climate : 



The black apricot, 

 The Brussels apricot^ 

 The Breda apricot, 

 llie early apricot. 



The large early apricot, 

 The peach apricot, 

 The Moor's Park apricot. 

 The Turkey apricot. 



ARTICHOKE.— Q/nam scolyynus. — -There are, according 

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

 oval artichoke, Vv^ith 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 

 i^lobe kind is the only one usually cultivated in this coun- 

 ^ry. 



In making new plBntv^Hor-q, S'?lect deep, rich, light loam, 

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



