THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



483 



11. Late Newinqtok. — Fruit middle-sized ; red towards the sun, yellow next 

 Uie wall ; flesh rich and juicy ; ripens about the middle of September. Forsyth 

 remarks, that this nectarine has smooth leaves, and that the early Newiijgton has 

 jagged ones, which is one of the most essential differences by which these two fruits 

 are distinguished. 



12. Violet IIative, or Violet. — Fruit middle size; purple next the sun, pale 

 yellowish next the wall ; flesh juicy and good flavored ; ripens about the middle of 

 September. 



13. Golden, or Yellow. — Fruit, when in perfection, large, round; bright orange 

 color, slightly tinged with red next the sun ; flesh adhering to the stone, rather 

 peculiar than high flavored ; showy fruit ; ripens about the beginning of October. 



11. Murray. — Fruit middle size ; dingy red, often almost black next the sun, pale 

 greenish yellow next the wall; flesh parting freely from the stone, juicy and high 

 flavored. Tree excellent bearer ; ripens about the end of September. 



15. Claremont. — Fruit middle size; flavor excellent ; ripens about the end of 

 September. 



16. CowDRAY, Ifltite Nectarine. — Introduced from Brussels by Antony Vis- 

 count Montague. Is different from the conunon white, or Flanders nectarine, m 

 the peculiar length of its leaves, as well as being a much larger fruit; is perfectly 

 white, and of exquisite flavor. Is sometimes called the White Brussels Nectarine ; 

 was first cultivated in the gardens of William Stephen Poyntz, Esq., at Cowdray 

 Lodge, near Midhurst, 



APRICOTS. 



Apricot, Prunus Anneniaca, Linncrus, — Anncniaca vulgaris, — belongs to the class 

 and order Icosandria Monogijniu, and ranks in the natural order Rosacea:. Apricots 

 have long been considered a part of the genus Prunus, from which it is now thought 

 more advisable Xo separate them, and make a new genus, under the name of 

 Armeniaca. 



The native habitat of this tree is not known with any degree of certainty. It is 

 most probably a native of Asia. From its trivial name, it is supposed to have ori- 

 ginated in Armenia, but Ilegnier and Sickler, assign its origin between the Niger 

 and the Atlas; and Professor Pallas says, that it is found on all parts of the Caucasus, 

 the mountains there being covered to the top with it. Grossier and Thunberg de- 

 scribe it as a native of China and Japan; the former naturalist says, that the Chinese 

 possess many varieties of it, which they plant in pots for their rooms. He also states, 

 that the whole of the barren mountains, to the west of Pekin, are covered with it ; 

 and that the Chinese make lozenges from the clarified juice, which, dissolved in water, 

 yields a cooling drink. It is the Malus Armeniaca of the ancients. It was introduced 

 mto Europe by the Romans, and brought from Italy to this country by Wolfe, a 

 French priest, gardener to Henry the Eighth. It was cultivated here in 15G2, and 

 is noticed by Turner and Hakluyt. The definition of the name apricot, has given 

 rise to a variety of opinions; Professor Martin has given the most simple and most 

 probable. He observes, a tree, when first introduced, might have been called a 

 precox, or early fruit, and gardeners taking the article a, for the first syllabic i/ tlio 



