200 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



CONFERENCE ON APRICOTS AND PLUMS, 



Held in the Society's Gardens at Chiswick, 

 August 24, 1892. 



THE APRICOT IN FEANCE. 



By Mons. F. Jamin. 



The Apricot, winch appears to be a native of Western Asia, 

 has been known in France for several centuries, its introduction 

 dating as far back as the year 1450. 



In the north and north-west of France it must be trained on 

 a wall or on a fence, but under these conditions its fruits are as 

 a rule only slightly appreciated. They ripen very unevenly, the 

 portion of the fruit against the wall always remaining more or 

 less green, whilst that exposed to the sun becomes more or less 

 mealy. 



From bushes or standards in the open air the fruits are far 

 better ; but, in order to ensure success, great attention must be 

 given to details. The trees require a warm and rather calcareous 

 soil, and should be sheltered from the north and north-east 

 winds. In less favoured localities the Apricot will give good 

 results if sheltered by other fruit, or even by certain ornamental 

 trees. Unlike other fruit-trees, it will succeed in the gardens of 

 large towns, and even those of small dimensions, as in them 

 shelter is always to be found. 



The great abundance of Apricots in some seasons does not 

 influence the selling^price to any great extent, and they are 

 generally very remunerative. 



The varieties most largely grown in France are very few in 

 number and to a great extent localised. By simply inspecting 

 the wood it is difficult to distinguish one variety from another. 

 Sometimes confusion may be avoided by noticing the distance — 

 more or less great — between the leaves. In Apricot "Peach '* 

 and its sub-varieties, for example, the leaves are very near to 

 each other, and the young wood consequently short-jointed, 

 whilst in other kinds the wood is longer-jointed, and the leaves 

 therefore perceptibly farther apart. 



