Re: [nafex] Hardy Apricots

[Claude Jolicoeur <cjoli@gmc.ulaval.ca>]

Douglas,
Thanks for the useful information.
I have tried 3 different apricot varieties: Morden 604, Brookcot and a
Manchurian seedling. All died very quickly. In my notes, I have for
Westcot: "Would probably be the best candidate if I want to make another
try"... I am quite sure it is not the cold that kill them as they can
endure colder weather in the pariries. Maybe something with the soil?
Cherries also have a hard time at my place, but some plums (mostly hardy
Europeans) do OK.
By the way, is Ken Taylor still in business? I did buy plant material from
him about 10 years ago and thought he was a bit over optimistic in his
plant descriptions...
Claude Jolicoeur, Quebec

--------------
A 14:28 00.12.11 -0000, vous avez écrit :
>Claude, have you tried Westcot and Morden 604? They were both bred at 
>the Agriculture Canada station at Morden, Manitoba in Agriculture 
>Canada zone 3b and have been reported successful by several people in 
>cold areas of Eastern Canada. They have Prunus armeniaca ancestry (or 
>mostly) and are not unusually prone to dormancy problems. Trees are 
>avilable from nurseries on the prairies and from Ken Taylor's 
>Windmill Point Orchard & Nursery at Notre Dame Ile Perrot by Montreal.
>
>The parentage of Morden 604 is listed by the second edition of Brooks 
>and Olmo (1970) as "Scout x McClure," selected 1945. I believe 
>McClure is an armeniaca. The same book listed Scout as having 
>originated at Morden from "seed of Prunus armeniaca sent by the 
>Experiment Station of the Eastern Siberian Railway, Echo, Manchuria, 
>[doubtless from Mr. Woykoff] P.I. 132840; planted in 1930."
>
>I understand that Scout has tended to have dormancy problems in the 
>East which makes me suspect that it may have some P. mandshurica 
>ancestry.
>
>Ken also sells an armeniaca apricot which he calls "Precious" found 
>by him at Creemore south of Georgian Bay in zone 5a or 4b. It has 
>been hardy with him in his exposed location near Montreal. He reports 
>it to have exceptional ability to crop after frosty springs. 
>Apparently it and some other old trees at Creemore have been there 
>for a very long time. I suspect they may descend from seedlings of 
>Russian apricots distributed as subscription premiums by the Fruit 
>Growers' Association around 1900.
>
>Robert Purvis of NAFEX told me that he had tested Precious and that 
>the quality was not high with him, but that it did seem to have 
>unusual ability to crop in less favourable seasons. He also said that 
>the USDA at Prosser had acquired Precious and found a virus in it 
>which they had cleared or were (a few years ago) in the processs of 
>clearing, but I have no idea whether the virus would have been 
>present in Ken's material or was acquired along the indirect path 
>between Ken and Prosser.
>
>I understand that one of the Manchurian apricots sold by Lakeshore 
>Tree Farms at Saskatoon has been successful with some in the East. 
>I'm not sure which one, perhaps "Prairie Dawn". Ken Taylor could 
>probably tell you; I believe he sells it. 
>
>Douglas Woodard
>St. Catharines, Ontario


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