gardeners are able to supply us with pineapples, and other fruits peculiar to the hottest climates.

The oak principally used for wainscot, &c., is brought from Dantzic and Norway.

The evergreen oak (ilex) is a native of the south of Europe, and is planted merely to ornament our gardens and plantations: this variety was introduced into England in 1581, and is found to grow in great perfection on the banks of the Thames, west of London. There is an oak of this description in the grounds belonging to the Bishop of London's palace at Fulham, more than fifty feet high, and eight feet in circumference. I conclude it was planted by Bishop Compton, who introduced many new plants and forest trees from North America and other parts of the world.

APRICOT.-ARMENIACA;

Or, PRÆCOCIA MALA.

In Botany, of the Class Icosandria Monogynia.

THE apricot has long been considered, and in most botanical works stated, to be a native of Epirus; and the name of pruneus Armeniaca having been given to it in mistake, and which I shall shew belonged to another fruit, it has been transmitted down from one author to another, without particular inquiry. Theophrastus, one of the oldest authors, never mentions the apricottree as being cultivated in Greece, at the time when he lived: on the contrary, he alludes to it as an exotic, from an account transmitted to him: he also mentions the almond, as being the only tree in his country which produced the flowers before the leaves. (Theoph. Hist. Plant. lib. vii. c. 12.)

Columella is the oldest Roman author who has mentioned the tree that has been considered the apricot. He writes, that at the end of January we may graft the cherrytree, the Armenian plum, the nectarine, the almond, the peach-tree, and others which plush early.

Pliny also mentions the Armenian plum; and says there is a plum, a kind of apricot, brought from a foreign nation, and which is called Armeniaca, and is desirable for its smell. This great naturalist has particularly mentioned the apricot, as distinct from the Armenian plum: he states that it was not known above thirty years before he wrote the account, which would make its introduction into Italy about the sixtieth vear of the Christian era. Pliny says, "at its first coming, each sold for a Roman denier:" he adds, "this fruit is harmless, and is in such request among invalids, that thirty sesterces are given for one of them, which is as great a price as is given for any fruit whatever." "We have," continues he, "two sorts, supernatia, which we have from the high countries, and, namely, the sabineo and popularia, which grow common every where." Thus Pliny has furnished us with an account of the apricot, and omitted to mention from whence it was first procured.

M. L. Legnier has made some remarks on this subject, which appeared in the French Encyclopédie, for November, 1815. Here he says, "I was struck with its mode of growth in Egypt, where it was anciently brought from latitudes still more southern. In Egypt its leaves have scarcely fallen off before the blossoms appear again. The name of berikokka, first given to it even in Greece, approaches very near to its Arabian name of berkach, or berikach." M. L. Legnier adds, "that the inhabitants of the Deserts called Oasis, gather and dry large quantities of apricots, which they bring down to Egypt for sale; and they are there called michmich." "The result of every inquiry I made," says this author, " was, that the apricot-tree grows there spontaneously, almost without cultivation; and as it is not known to grow in the natural state in any part of Armenia, we may very justly conclude that it is an Arabian fruit."

The apricot-tree was first brought to England from Italy, in the year 1524, by Woolf, gardener of Henry the Eighth, who it appears introduced several valuable fruits about the same period. (Gough's British Topography, vol. i. page 133.)

We have now considerable varieties of this agreeable fruit, many of which, by their

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names, inform us from whence they were procured, as the Algier, the Roman, the Turkey, the Brede, and the Brussels apricot, besides the Muscadine, the Orange, and several new varieties. It is one of our earliest wall-fruits, as well as one in the highest estimation.

The young fruit which is gathered to thin the crop, makes an excellent tart; and, when ripe, it is second to no fruit for preserves or jam.

The apricot-tree produces its blossom buds not only on the last year's wood, but also on the curzons, or spurs, from the two years' old wood. Great care should be used, in pruning, not to injure them; and it is advisable to remove all foreright shoots in the growing time.

The Brussels apricot is the best as a standard tree they are all propagated, by grafting them on plum stocks.

Madame de Genlis relates the following anecdote, which cannot be translated so as to retain the wit, which depends on the agreement of the French, name for apricot-tree with the inscription alluded to.

Après la mort de Louis XIze, au commencement de la règence de Madame de Beaujeu, plusieurs personnes furent disgra