Changes

|exposure=sun

|exposure=sun

|water=moderate

|water=moderate

|features=flowers, fruit

|features=flowers, edible, fruit

|flower_season=early spring

|flower_season=early spring

|flowers=pink, white, single

|flowers=pink, white, single

Although probably all the good varieties of the apricot in the world have been introduced into California in the last half-century, and scores of selected seedlings of local origin have been widely tested, the varieties that have survived the tests and are now widely grown are comparatively few in number. Most of the rejected varieties met this fate because of shy bearing, and those which now constitute the bulk of the crop are very regular and full bearers, under rational treatment. A local seedling, the Pringle, was for many years chiefly grown for the earliest ripening, but this has recently been largely superseded by another local seedling, the Newcastle, which is of superior size and about as early. The European varieties, Large Early and Early Golden, are fine in a few localities where they bear well, and do better in southern California than elsewhere. The universal favorite is the Royal; probably three-fourths of all the trees in the state are of this variety, though recently the area of the Blenheim has been increasing largely. The Hemskirk stands next to the Blenheim in popularity. The Peach is largely grown in the Sacramento Valley. The best apricot grown in California is the Moorpark; in size and lusciousness, when well ripened, it heads the list. It is, however, rather shy in bearing, and is forsaken for this fault in most regions. It shows the best behavior in the Santa Clara Valley, and is there retained, in spite of frequent lapses, because of the high prices which it commands at the canneries. About a dozen other varieties are carried in small number by the nurserymen to meet limited local demands.

Although probably all the good varieties of the apricot in the world have been introduced into California in the last half-century, and scores of selected seedlings of local origin have been widely tested, the varieties that have survived the tests and are now widely grown are comparatively few in number. Most of the rejected varieties met this fate because of shy bearing, and those which now constitute the bulk of the crop are very regular and full bearers, under rational treatment. A local seedling, the Pringle, was for many years chiefly grown for the earliest ripening, but this has recently been largely superseded by another local seedling, the Newcastle, which is of superior size and about as early. The European varieties, Large Early and Early Golden, are fine in a few localities where they bear well, and do better in southern California than elsewhere. The universal favorite is the Royal; probably three-fourths of all the trees in the state are of this variety, though recently the area of the Blenheim has been increasing largely. The Hemskirk stands next to the Blenheim in popularity. The Peach is largely grown in the Sacramento Valley. The best apricot grown in California is the Moorpark; in size and lusciousness, when well ripened, it heads the list. It is, however, rather shy in bearing, and is forsaken for this fault in most regions. It shows the best behavior in the Santa Clara Valley, and is there retained, in spite of frequent lapses, because of the high prices which it commands at the canneries. About a dozen other varieties are carried in small number by the nurserymen to meet limited local demands.

Apricots for canning and drying are graded according to size: Extra, not less than 2¼ inches in diameter; No. 1, 2 inches; No. 2, 1½ inches; No. 3, 1 inch. The first three grades must be sound, clean and free from blemish, and No. 3 must be of good merchantable quality. The shippers and canners require well-colored but only firm-ripe fruit, because both the long rail transportation and the canning process require it; soft-ripe fruit will neither can nor carry. For drying, riper fruit is used, and yet over-ripeness has to be guarded against to avoid too dark color. For canning, the fruit must be carefully hand-picked; for drying, much is shaken from the trees. The drying process consists in cutting the fruit in halves longitudinally, dropping out the pits and placing the halves, cavity uppermost, upon light wooden trays. Breaking or tearing the fruit open will not do; it must show clean-cut edges. When the trays are covered they are placed in a tight compartment, usually called a "sulfur box," though it may be of considerable size, and the fruit is exposed to the fumes of slowly burning sulfur, to ensure its drying to the light golden color which is most acceptable to the trade. The production of the right color is the end in view, and different dryers regulate the amount of sulfur and the length of exposure according to the condition of their fruit and their judgment of what it needs. The exposure varies from half an hour to two or three hours, according to circumstances. After sulfuring, the trays are taken to open ground, and the fruit is cured in the sun. Only a very small fraction of the California product of evaporated apricots is cured in an evaporator. It requires about six pounds of fresh apricots to make one pound of cured fruit.

Apricots for canning and drying are graded according to size: Extra, not less than 2¼ inches in diameter; No. 1, 2 inches; No. 2, 1½ inches; No. 3, 1 inch. The first three grades must be sound, clean and free from blemish, and No. 3 must be of good merchantable quality. The shippers and canners require well-colored but only firm-ripe fruit, because both the long rail transportation and the canning process require it; soft-ripe fruit will neither can nor carry. For drying, riper fruit is used, and yet over-ripeness has to be guarded against to avoid too dark color. For canning, the fruit must be carefully hand-picked; for drying, much is shaken from the trees. The drying process consists in cutting the fruit in halves longitudinally, dropping out the pits and placing the halves, cavity uppermost, upon light wooden trays. Breaking or tearing the fruit open will not do; it must show clean-cut edges. When the trays are covered they are placed in a tight compartment, usually called a "sulfur box," though it may be of considerable size, and the fruit is exposed to the fumes of slowly burning sulfur, to ensure its drying to the light golden color which is most acceptable to the trade. The production of the right color is the end in view, and different dryers regulate the amount of sulfur and the length of exposure according to the condition of their fruit and their judgment of what it needs. The exposure varies from half an hour to two or three hours, according to circumstances. After sulfuring, the trays are taken to open ground, and the fruit is cured in the sun. Only a very small fraction of the California product of evaporated apricots is cured in an evaporator. It requires about six pounds of fresh apricots to make one pound of cured fruit.

A moderate estimate of the yield of apricots might be placed at seven and one-half tons to the acre; extreme yields are far away from this both ways.

A moderate estimate of the yield of apricots might be placed at seven and one-half tons to the acre; extreme yields are far away from this both ways.

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The '''Apricot''' (''Prunus armeniaca'', "Armenian plum" in Latin, [[synonymy|syn.]] ''Armeniaca vulgaris'' Lam."Tsiran" ծիրան in [[Armenia]]n) is a species of ''[[Prunus]]'', classified with the [[plum]] in the [[subgenus]] ''Prunus''.

The '''Apricot''' (''Prunus armeniaca'', "Armenian plum" in Latin, [[synonymy|syn.]] ''Armeniaca vulgaris'' Lam."Tsiran" ծիրան in [[Armenia]]n) is a species of ''[[Prunus]]'', classified with the [[plum]] in the [[subgenus]] ''Prunus''.

[[Image:Turkey.Pasa Baglari005.jpg|thumb|right|Apricot tree]]

[[Image:Turkey.Pasa Baglari005.jpg|thumb|right|Apricot tree]]