Janiiarj'  13,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
31 
One  fact  remains  to  be  faced— viz.,  that  the  Gardeners’  lioyal 
Benevolent  Institution  is  yet,  2rractically,  unsuiDported  by  gardeners,  of 
whom  there  is  ii'd  one  who  shall  make  with  certainty  that  utterly 
selfish  remark,  “  I  shall  never  need  it.”  So  “  Knowledge  comes,  but 
wisdom  lingers.”  Yet  the  outlook  is  not  wholly  one  of  gloom  in  this 
direction.  In  the  years  that  have  fled  this  sound  investment  has  not 
probably  been  so  widely  and  generally  known  as  iis  merits  deserve, 
and  I  think,  somehow,  that  tlie  reirorts  of  its  good  work  have  oftener 
found  their  w^ay  into  the  potting-shed  drawer  among  the  jilant  and 
seed  catalogues  than  to  the  gardener’s  cottage,  where  it  would  catch 
the  eye  of  the  “missus.”  To  her  I  respectfully  suggest  at  least 
further  consideration  of  the  above,  relying  ui:)on  a  fair  hearing,  confi¬ 
dent  in  her  sound  judgment,  and  last,  not  least,  knowing  that  in  the 
tender  feelings  of  a  woman’s  nature,  '“The  quality  of  mercy  is  not 
strained.” — A  Koval  Benevolent  Gardener. 
APRICOTS. 
Success  with  the  Apricot  in  England  is  by  no  means  certain.  Even 
in  gardens,  with  careful  preparation  of  borders  and  protection  of  the 
flowers  in  the  spring,  satisfactory  results  are  more  the  exception  than  the 
rule.  The  great  drawback  to  the  culture  of  the  Apricot  is  that  of  its 
being  the  earliest  flowering  of  fruit  trees,  generally  coming  into  blos.som 
during  February.  But  this  cannot  be  regarded  as  the  cause  of  failure 
in  many  gardens,  for  with  efficient  protection  for  the  blossoms  and  tender 
fruit  the  trees  are  as  notable  for  vigour  as  sterility  ;  therefore,  the  cause 
of  non- success  must  be  looked  for  apart  from  the  early  flowering  and  the 
question  of  protection  for  the  blossom.  . 
The  chief  reason  of  failure  in  this  country  is,  according  to  my  expe¬ 
rience,  restriction,  the  trees  never  succeeding  on  low  walls.  On  a  wall  of 
10  feet  height  I  once  had  what  was  considered  the  choicest  varieties — 
Early  Moorpark,  Hemskerk,  Kaisha,  Moorpark,  Oullins  Early  Peach, 
Peach,  and  St.  Ambroise  ;  the  aspect  south-west,  elevation  500  feet  above 
sea  level,  and  the  North  Sea  four  miles  distant  eastward.  The  whole, 
duly  protected  with  scrim  canvas,  kept  from  the  trees  by  poles  and  drawn 
up  or  let  down  as  required,  bore  well  whilst  extending  after  the  third 
year  from  planting  as  one  year’s  trained  trees  :  but  when  they  reached 
the  top  of  the  wall,  and  covered  their  allotted  space,  every  one  except 
Kaisha  began  to  bear  less  fruit,  and  in  three  years  the  trees  were  unprofit¬ 
able,  Indeed,  the  one  tree  of  Kaisha  gave  more  fruit  than  the  other  six 
trees  put  together  :  and  whilst  this  remained  healthy  and  fruitful  the 
other  trees,  with  the  exception  of  St.  Ambroise,  began  to  lose  their  lower 
branches  and  a  limb  here  and  there  from  sudden  collapse.  On  another 
wall,  facing  due  south  and  20  feet  in  height,  were  Blenheim  or  Shipley's 
and  Royal,  which,  never  protected,  gave  excellent  crops.  The  difference 
could  not  be  entirely  due  to  the  hardiness  of  these  as  compared  with  the 
other  varieties,  but  was  a  consequence  of  the  adaptability  of  subject  to 
place  or  vice  vei'sa.  Thus  Kaisha  succeeded  because  it  did  not  outgrow 
the  space,  also  those  on  the  high  wall,  and  the  others  failed  through  their 
being  pruned  into  sterility. 
What  I  wish  to  impress  by  the  foregoing  is  the  futility  of  planting 
Apricot  trees  against  low  walls.  Large  areas  of  high,  old-fashioned 
garden  walls,  the  walls  of  stables,  barns,  outbuildings,  and  tens  of 
thousands  of  cottages  are  the  places  for  Apricots,  where  they  will  have 
a  chance  to  produce  enormous  quantities  of  the  most  luscious  of  all  hardy 
fruits  annually.  The  climate  is  better  now  by  drainage  and  other 
improvements  than  it  was  half  a  century  ago,  when  Apricot  trees  were 
common  -on  cottage  walls,  and  the  proceeds  went  a  long  way  towards 
paying  the  rent ;  the  walls  of  farm  houses,  and  on  the  high  walls  of 
gardens,  where  it  paid  to  use  wool  netting  for  protection  to  the 
blossom.  Result,  luscious  Moorpark  Apricots,  1500  golden  fruits  per  tree 
of  36  feet  by  13  feet. 
Soil. 
If  well  drained,  almost  any  garden  soil  will  grow  Apricots  to 
perfection.  It  must  be  deep,  a  yard  is  not  too  much,  not  that  borders 
need  be  made  of  that  depth,  but  just  take  the  soil  as  it  is  — a  light, 
rather  sandy  loam,  preferably,  and  stir  it  to  such  depth  as  will  allow 
the  roots  to  go  into  it  without  hindrance.  Shallow  borders— a  few 
inches  of  ameliorated  soil  over  chalk,  or  a  hard  pan  or  a  stiff  one,  such 
as  clay,  are  of  no  use  for  Apricots.  They  do  well  on  warp,  on  sandy 
soils,  especially  alluvial  silts,  calcareous  gravels  over  chalk  not  nearer 
than  3  feet — better  6  feet -and  even  on  stony  clays,  always  provided 
water  does  not  lodge  within  4  feet  of  the  surface.  Turn  the  soil,  as  in 
making  compost,  with  the  difference  of  keeping  the  good  soil  on  the  top, 
or  if  a  loose  soil,  do  not  bother  about  anything  but  setting  the  tree, 
after  adding  some  manure  and  turning  under  as  for  any  other  kind. 
The  thing  is  to  select  the  soil  as  well  as  the  aspect  and  space  for  this 
choice  fruit,  abandoning  altogether  the  idea  of  making  it  conform  to  the 
wishes  and  requirements  of  man  in  any  but  a  natural  way.  Making  soil 
forestalls  both  principal  and  interest.  This  does  not  mean  that  a  light 
soil  is  not  all  the  better  for  draining  to  free  it  from  the  water  running 
in  quicksand  at  3  to  4  feet  from  the  surface,  discomfiting  Horsetails  and 
Thistles,  and  rendering  it  suitable  for  Apricots.  This,  and  adding  road 
scrapings,  lime  rubbish,  and  burned  clay  to  heavy  soils,  is  different  from 
making  an  excavation  and  bringing  in  fresh  soil  at  great  expense,  or 
even  moving  soil  2  or  3  feet  and  adding  substances  improving  of  the 
staple,  than  clearing  all  away  and  often  making  a ‘worse  staple  than  that 
removed  or  would  have  been  if  properly  treated  by  trenching  and 
admixture  of  manure  or  other  material.  Such  procedure  has  no  bearing 
on  growing  Apricots  profitably,  and  does  not  enter  into  the  calculations 
of  growers  of  hardy  f  ruits  for  market.  A  little,  sometimes  much  manure, 
a  turning,  and  attention  to  staple  and  draining,  are  all  the  points 
considered  of  importance  as  regards  soil.  No  more  is  needed  for 
Apricots. 
Varieties. 
Breda  and  Aliierge  de  Montgament  are  regarded  as  the  only  kinds 
that  succeed  as  standards  in  the  open  air.  Of  this  I  have  no  experience  ; 
perhaps  some  correspondent  will  kindly  say  where  Apricots  as  orchard 
trees  may  be  found  in  England.  Is  it  near  the  coast  in  the  southern 
counties  ?  On  walls  they  bear  freely,  Alberge  de  Montgamet  ripening  at 
the  end  of  July  and  Breda  at  the  end  of  August,  both  small,  and  esteemed 
in  the  kitchen  and  still  room.  Such,  however,  are  only  wall  space 
wasters  outside  private  use,  at  least  so  I  found,  and  if  ever  they  are  to 
profit  it  must  be  as  standards— hence  the  query. 
Blenheim  or  Shipley’s,  with  Turkey,  and  even  Royal,  must  be  regarded 
as  preservers,  Roman  being  placed  in  the  same  category.  For  cooking 
and  confectionery  purposes  they  do  well  enough,  but  can  hardly  be 
considered,  along  with  Erogmore  Early,  as  equal  to  British  market 
requirements  except  for  the  purposes  named,  and  certainly  not  likely  to 
meet  much  better  fate  than  Plums  grown  against  walls  and  also  in 
plantations,  as  the  public  appetite  requires  whetting  or  educating  to 
accept  them  on  the  score  of  profit. 
This  reduces  the  list  to  reasonable  proportions,  and  even  then  it  is 
questionable  if  Large  Red  and  Large  Early  can  be  considered  other  than 
second  rate.  To  name  them  is  enough,  and  this  reduction  brings  us  to 
the  Moorpark  and  Peach,  for  out  must  go  the  pointed-fruited  St.  Ambrdse. 
Of  Moorpark — needing  no  bush— we  have  Beauge,  a  large  rather  late 
form  ;  D’ Alsace,  a  better  grower,  and  not  so  liable  to  lose  branches  ; 
Hemskerk,  a  good  hardy  sort  ;  Powell’s  Late,  unequalled  for  hardiness, 
free  bearing,  and  good  quality,  and  Early  Moorpark,  a  questionable  yet 
good  form,  a  little  earlier  in  ripening.  Of  Peach,  or  Grose  Peche, 
Oullins  Early  seems  to  have  a  habit  different  from  Moorpark,  and 
though  a  little  earlier  does  noi  beat  the  parent.  Peach — the  “  finest  of  all  ” 
(Rivers). 
From  the  two  last  forms  of  Apricots  — the  Moorpark  and  Peach  — 
selection  may  safely  be  made,  as  none  excel  them,  green  or  not  over¬ 
ripe,  for  tarts,  and  for  dessert  are  the  only  ones  attaining  the  highest 
standard  of  excellence. 
Distance  and  Planting. 
An  Apricot  tree,  if  worth  the  name,  will  cover  a  large  extent  of  wall 
area.  Cordons  imply  narrow  borders,  root  as  well  as  top  limitation,  and 
only  Kaisha  is  advised  for  that  mode  without  it  at  2  feet  distance  apart. 
For  low  walls — say  of  6  feet  height— plant  dwarf  fan-trained  trees 
12  feet  apart.  But  that  implies  utilisation,  there  not  being  any  reason 
why  low  walls,  as  well  as  high,  should  not  give  fruit  according  to  the 
space.  It  should  be  remembered  the  Apricot  does  well  in  suburban  as 
well  in  rural  districts.  By  suburban  is  not  meant  the  environs  of  manu¬ 
facturing  centres,  but  fairly  open  localities,  where  the  sun  is  not  obscured 
by  smoke  and  the  atmosphere  laden  with  sulphurous  and  other  fumes. 
It  cares  least  of  any  fruit  tree  for  the  dust  of  roads,  even  relishing  the 
sand. 
Dwarf-trained  are  the  best,  but  standards  may  be  employed  for  w’alls 
where  dwarfs  would  be  liable  to  sufiFer,  as  against  farm  buildings  to  which 
cattle  have  access.  Fan-trained  only  are  suitable,  and  they  are  no  better 
for  being  large.  Evenly  balanced  branches,  not  too  strong,  are  of  far 
greater  importance,  the  wood,  being  well  ripened,  having  nothing  to  do 
with  trees  that  are  blemished  in  the  wood— in  fact,  gummed — for  it  will 
follow  them  to  the  end  of  their  days,  and  is  the  great  cause  of  Apricot 
failure  in  England. 
The  roots  must  not,  on  any  account,  be  allowed  to  get  dry  by  exposure 
to  the  air.  Nurserymen  are  very  particular  about  this,  using  mats  as  the 
trees  are  lifted,  in  the  packing  shed,  everywhere  doing  their  best  to  make 
the  trees  safely  endure  the  lifting  and  transference.  The  trees  move  well 
early  in  the  spring,  for  though  the  blossoming  be  early  the  growth  comes 
later:  but  the  middle  of  February,  or  as  soon  after  as  the  weather  allows, 
may  be  regarded  as  the  time  to  plant.  Take  out  an  opening  large  enough 
to  receive  the  roots  straight  out,  not  making  them  fit  the  hole,  for  beyond 
cutting  off  bruised  ends  to  sound  wood,  the  more  roots  the  better.  Arrange 
the  roots  carefully,  interlayering  at  all  points  with  mellow  soil,  and  not 
covering  the  uppermost  more  than  3  inches.  Mulch  to  an  inch  in  depth 
with  good  sweetened  material.  Avoid  puddling,  for  ordinary  soil  in 
February  is  just  in  the  right  condition  for  favouring  the  emission  of 
roots,  and  to  get  an  abundance  of  fibres,  meaning  a  good  root  formation 
at  the  start,  is  the  foundation  of  future  health  and  production. 
If  the  trees  are  right,  and  the  soil  also,  there  will  neither  be  any  use 
for  the  knife  or  watering  can  for  some  time,  and  Apricots  then  and  always 
show  their  detestation  of  the  free  use  of  the  knife  and  misuse  of  the  water¬ 
ing  pot  by  producing  nothing  but  leaves,  and  dying  off  limb  by  limb.  The 
little  pruning  of  the  cottager  and  farmer  just  suits  Apricots,  and 
nothing  pays  so  well  on  the  south  fronts  of  cottages  and  farm  houses 
where  the  soil  suits,  as  the  trees  like  to  push  their  roots  deep  into  the 
earth  and  their  branches  high  into  the  air,  thus  maintaining  the 
reciprocal  action  essential  to  fruitfulness  and  health.  Plant  the  trees 
and  let  them  grow,  doing  no  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to  cover 
the  wall  equally  with  fruitful  branches  from  top  to  bottom.  Indeed,  to 
the  cottager  and  farmer  belongs  the  credit  of  the  extension  system  as 
applied  to  wall  trees,  they  always  having  abundance  of  fruit  when  trees 
on  the  low  wall  and  restriction  system  were  fruitless,  the  house  being 
supplied  with  this  fruit  from  the  sources  mentioned  at  remunerative 
prices. — G.  Abbey. 
