Appendix.] Apricot Tree grows wild. 27 



insulated spots in the deserts, called Oasis, there gather and dry 

 large quantities of Apricots, which they bring down to Egypt for 

 sale ; these Apricots, called Michmich, are small, with a very large 

 stone in comparison to the dried pulp, a common character of 

 many fruits, not altered by cultivation, but though small, have 

 an excellent flavour. If I could have executed the plan I had 

 formed of travelling into the Oasis, more certain knowledge about 

 these trees would have been obtained ; but a whim of General 

 Menou prevented me. Being disappointed in this, the result of 

 every enquiry I made of those who had been there, both Arabsand 

 Berberis was, that the Apricot tree there grows spontaneously, 

 almost without any cultivation, and that the only method of pro- 

 pagating it is by seeds ; I have no doubt that it is the same fruit 

 which was dried in the days of Theophrastus. He only knew 

 it, however, from the account of his correspondent, it being then 

 confined to more southern regions. We find, from the accounts 

 of travellers, that besides the Oasis of Egypt, it grows also in the 

 Oasis of Bornou and that of Fezzan, countries situated more to 

 the west. Thus its limits appear to be a parallel between the 

 Niger and the range of the Atlas mountains, from whence it has, 

 by cultivation, been carried towards the north. 



Theophrastus having written under the reign of the Ptolemies, 

 the introduction of this tree into Europe could only have been 

 effected in that of their successors ; and the Greek dynasty in 

 Egypt having increased the intercourse between the two coun- 

 tries, it is that epoch which I venture to fix upon for its coming 

 to us. It is also very probable that the Democritus above 

 mentioned lived at the same period, and that he was conse- 

 quently prior to Columella, who adopted the name of Armenian 

 Plum, 



