Growing Apricot, Barberry, Cherry And Chestnut

This is a very delightful fruit. It comes earlier than the peach: and some like it better. It is a hardier tree, bears as well as the peach, and the green fruit, when the size of a hickory nut, makes a very good tart.

When ripe, or nearly ripe, it makes a better pie than the peach; and the tree, when well raised, planted, and cultivated, will last a century. Apricots are budded or grafted upon plum stocks, or upon stocks raised from Apricot stones. They do not bear so soon as the peach by one year. For the pruning of them, see PEACH. There are many sorts of Apricots, some come earlier, some are larger, and some finer than others.

It may be sufficient to name the Brussels, the Moore Park, and the Turkey. The first carries most fruit as to number; but, the others are larger and of finer flavor. Perhaps two trees of these sorts would be the most judicious selection.

I have heard, that the Apricot does not do in this country! That is to say, I suppose, it will not do of its own accord, like a peach, by having the stone flung upon the ground, which it certainly will not; and it is very much to be commended for refusing to do in this way.

But, properly managed, I know it will do, for I never tasted finer Apricots than I have in America; and, indeed, who can believe that it will not do in a country, where there are no blights of fruit trees worth speaking of, and where melons ripen to such perfection in the natural ground and almost without care?

BARBERRY

This fruit is well known. The tree, or shrub, on which it grows, is raised front the seed, or from suckers, or layers. Its place ought to be in the South Border; for, the hot sun is rather against its fruit growing large.

CHERRY

Cherries are budded or grafted upon stocks raised from cherry stones of any sort. If you want the tree tall and large, the stock should come from the small black cherry tree that grows wild in the woods. If you want it dwarf, sow the stones of a morello or a May duke.

The sorts of cherries are very numerous; but, the six trees for my garden should be, a May cherry, a May duke, a black heart, a white heart, and two bigeroons The four former are well known in America, but I never saw but two trees of the last, and those I sent from England to Bustleton, in Pennsylvania, in the year 100.

They are now growing there, in the gardens of the two Messrs. Paul's. Cuttings frown them have been carried and used as grafts all round the country. During the few days that I was at Mr. James Paul's in 1817, several persons came for grafts; so that these trees must be pretty famous.

The fruit is large, thin skinned, small stone, and fine color and flavor, and the tree grows freely and in beautiful form. For runing, see PEACH. To preserve cherries, gather them without bruising; take off the tails; lay them in the sun on dry deal boards when quite dry put them by in bags in a dry place, They form a variety in the tart making way.

CHESTNUT

This is an inhabitant of the woods; and, as to its fruit, I have only to say, that the American is as much better than the Spanish as the tree is a finer tree. To preserve chestnuts, so as to have them to sow in the spring, or to eat through the winter, you must put them into a box, or barrel, mixed with, and covered over by, fine dry sand.

If there be maggots in any of the chestnuts, they will work up through the sand, to get to air; and, thus, you have your chestnuts sweet and sound and fresh. To know whether chestnuts will grow, toss them into water. If they swim, they will not grow.

Find tips about fern life cycle and autumn fern at the Plants And Flowers website.