Some of these Plums, because of their firmnesse, are vndoubtedly more wholsome then others that are sweete and waterish, and cause lesse offence in their stomackes that eate them; and therefore are preserued with Sugar, to be kept all the yeare. None of them all is vsed in medicines so much as the great Damson or Damaske Prune, although all of them for the most part doe coole, lenifie, and draw forth choller, and thereby are fittest to be vsed of such as haue chollericke Agues.
Chap. XIIII.
Mala Armeniaca siue Præcocia. Apricockes.
The Apricocke (as I said) is without question a kinde of Plumme, rather then a Peach, both the flower being white, and the stone of the fruit smooth also, like a Plumme, and yet because of the excellencie of the fruit, and the difference therein from all other Plummes, I haue thought it meete to entreate thereof by it selfe, and shew you the varieties haue been obserued in these times.
The Apricocke tree riseth vp to a very great height, either standing by it selfe (where it beareth not so kindly, and very little in our country) or planted against a wall, as it is most vsuall, hauing a great stemme or body, and likewise many great armes or branches, couered with a smooth barke: the leaues are large, broad, and almost round, but pointed at the ends, and finely dented about the edges: the flowers are white, as the Plumme tree blossomes, but somewhat larger, and rounder set: the fruit is round, with a cleft on the one side, somewhat like vnto a Peach, being of a yellowish colour as well on the inside as outside, of a firme or fast substance, and dry, not ouermoist in the eating, and very pleasant in taste, containing within it a broad and flat stone, somewhat round and smooth, not rugged as the Peach stone, with a pleasant sweete kernell (yet some haue reported, that there is such as haue their kernels bitter, which I did neuer see or know) and is ripe almost with our first or earliest Plummes, and thereof it tooke the name of Præcox; and it may bee was the earliest of all others was then knowne, when that name was giuen.
The great Apricocke, which some call the long Apricocke, is the greatest and fairest of all the rest.
The smaller Apricocke, which some call the small round Apricocke, is thought to be small, because it first sprang from a stone: but that is not so; for the kinde it selfe being inoculated, will bee alwaies small, and neuer halfe so faire and great as the former.
The white Apricocke hath his leaues more folded together, as if it were halfe double: it beareth but seldome, and very few, which differ not from the ordinary, but in being more white, without any red when it is ripe.
The Mascoline Apricocke hath a finer greene leafe, and thinner then the former, and beareth very seldome any store of fruit, which differeth in nothing from the first, but that it is a little more delicate.