<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why is there such a dispute between Mrs Norris and Dr Grant over the Moor\nPark Apricot tree? I think there is enough animosity between them so that even\nthe most minor of issues turns into an argument. Mrs Norris hates to be\nchallenged and Dr Grant does not hold in his thoughts either. Based on the\ndilapidations discussed below and Mrs Norris\u2019 objection to the Grant\u2019s style of\nliving, it is understandable these two would argue over a fruit tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are possibilities from the archives:
\na) The tree is indeed a Moor Park apricot, but has been given insufficient care\nby Mrs Norris to make it grow well and thrive….I can imagine her being stingy\nwith the well-rotted manure….<\/p>\n\n\n\n
b) The tree supplied by the nursery was not as described on its label (a\npractise that annoyingly, still occurs today…) and poor Sir Thomas was indeed\nimposed upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
c) Though the Moor Park Apricot is known to be a good fruiting variety of\napricot, with well flavored fruit, Dr Grant the epicurean par excellence, knows\nof another variety that is of superior taste etc, a plant of which we know\nnothing because it has not survived throouh the past two centuries. For\nexample, Hannah Glasse in her recipe book, The Art of Cookery Made Pain and\nEasy (1747) refers to the Masculine apricot. This may be the same as the\nvariety known as Red Masculine, which was a very old and well known variety in\nthe 18th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stehpen Switzer in his book The Practical Fruit Gardener (1724) wrote of all\nthe apricots he knew:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Masculine or early Apricock is a pretty little Fruit of a good Sugared\nJuice; but being small, is not so much esteemed as the large Dutch, Orange,\nTurkey, Roman or Common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Moor Park was introduced into England in 1760 (it is, of course not a\nnative to the cold climes of England) and was named for the estate where it\nfirst successfully fruited see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These other apricots do not appear in Mrs Glasse\u2019s book, but obviously\nexisted. Perhaps Dr Grant has experience of these? We don’t know<\/p>\n\n\n\n
d) or it could be yet another Austen Family in-joke….<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is, IMHO, no real answer to the puzzle. I am afraid I have no figures\nfor the price an 18th century plant nursery would charge for the tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was a Royal Horticultural Society award of merit for the Moor Park\napricot (it\u2019s a dead link now- ed)<\/em>. It gives its characteristics,\nincluding its drawbacks. I’ve never grown it or knowingly eaten it so cannot\ncomment on its flavor, but I trust the RHS ;-). I understand it is not favored\nby the professional fruit industry (and here my source is the managing director\nof World Wide Fruit PLC) because it is rather a soft and delicate fruit and is,\ntherefore, hard to transport successfully throughout the globe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Why is there such a dispute between Mrs Norris and Dr Grant over the Moor Park Apricot tree? I think there is enough animosity between them so that even the most minor of issues turns into an argument. Mrs Norris … Continue reading