48 



THE FLORIST AND FOMOLOGIST. 



nineteen or twenty years regularly to that extent, that some years we are 

 obliged to thin them out by scores. I have heard of its coneing at Kew and 

 some other places ; but have heard but little of the male plants, which are 

 distinct, producing catkins. There is a fine male plant that has produced 

 crops of catkins these last five or six years, and another which began to produce 

 catkins last year for the first time. These are the only two male plants I have 

 yet seen produce catkins here. The only other plant I ever saw with catkins 

 was last year at Lady Moles worth's beautiful place at Pencarrow, Cornwall. 

 In the splendid noble avenue of the Araucaria imbricata here on each side of 

 the coach-road leading through one of the outer parks not one has yet 

 produced either cones or catkins. There is no difference observable in the 

 growth or appearance of either male or female plants of this noble tree, that 

 I could ever yet discover one from the other previous to coneing or producing 

 catkins, although it has been stated years gone by that there could be ; and 

 plants actually sent out by nurserymen under the name of masculine, which 

 never yet proved themselves such, as I could ever discover or hear of. We 

 have sown seed and raised plants home-grown here. 



Unfortunately, this noble tree is not entirely hardy throughout Britain. 

 The noble specimens that Elvaston, Chatsworth, and other noble places in the 

 north and midland counties contained a few years ago are, by the late severe 

 winters, injured, and to a great extent destroyed. 



Bicton, James Barnes. 



CANINO GROSSO APRICOT. 



WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 



This is an Italian variety, from Canino, a town in the Papal States. Its 

 habit is remarkably robust. Leaves large and of a very dark green, in shape 

 much like those of the Royal Apricot. Shoots stout, remarkable for their 

 vigorous growth and healthy appearance ; and as far as can at present be judged, 

 the tree is not liable to gum or its branches to die, as is so often the case with 

 the Moorpark or Peach Apricot. Its flowers are large and bold, and seem to 

 set their fruit freely. Fruit larger than the Royal, and, if there is any difference 

 in that respect, a little later in ripening, of the same melting flesh and ex- 

 cellent flavour as the Peach Apricot, the finest of all. This variety is likely 

 to be popular, as the tree is so hardy and free in its growth. It has hitherto _ 

 been budded on the Black Damask Plum stock, which seems to suit it admir- 

 ably, but it may, probably, succeed on the Muscle Plum ; still, as the former is 

 so well adapted to it, it would never be advisable to bud it on any other Plum. 



Owing to its free growth, this variety should have a high wall ; and it would, 

 doubtless, ripen its fruit well on walls with a south-east or west aspect in the 

 warmer parts of England. In Italy it soon forms a large umbrageous tree as 

 a standard, and bears very freely. In some of the warm gardens near London 

 or in the southern counties it would be very desirable as a standard, as it is 

 earlier than the Breda, and its fruit, even when not thoroughly ripe, more 

 melting and agreeable than that sort, which from standards is generally dry 

 and hard, as any one who has bought them in the Belgian towns where they 

 are hawked about in every street can testify. 



It was introduced about seven years since by Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridge- 

 worth, and our figure was taken from a handsome pot-tree in one of his 

 orchard-houses. 



