330 LEAVES FROM MY NOTE-BOOK. 



this stage, says Darwin, one small step leads us to such inferior 

 peaches as are occasionally raised from seed. 



The late origin of the nectarine, as a " sport " from the peach, 

 makes its history particularly interesting. Late as is the origin of 

 the nectarine, it reproduces itself truly by seed, as does the 

 peach ; and both show an equal tendency to sport. Peter CoUin- 

 son in 1741 recorded the first case of a peach tree producing a 

 nectarine, and in 1766 he added two other instances. Mr. Salis- 

 bury, in 1808, records six cases of peach trees producing necta- 

 rines ; one of the varieties, the Royal George, had the habit of 

 producing both kinds of fruit. In short, the evidence is super- 

 abundant for full-grown peach-trees suddenly producing nectarines 

 by bud-variation. 



Mr. Rivers (p. 361) states that from stones of three varieties of 

 the peach he raised three varieties of nectarine, and in one of 



these cases no nectarme grew near the parent peach tree 



Of the converse case — namely, of nectarine stones yielding peach 

 trees (both free and cling stones), we have six undoubted instances 

 recorded by Mr. Rivers. Sir J. E. Smith gives the remarkable 

 case of a tree in Norfolk which usually bore both perfect necta- 

 rines and perfect peaches, but during two seasons bore " half-and- 

 half fruit ; " that is, one half a perfect peach and the other a 

 perfect nectarine. 



Darwin sums up the case thus : — " We have excellent evidence 

 of peach stones producing nectarine trees, and of nectarine stones 

 producing peach trees ; of the same tree bearing peaches and 

 nectarines ; of peach trees suddenly bearing nectarines by bud 

 variation (such nectarines reproducing nectarines by seed), as well 

 as fruit part nectarine and part peach,''' and lastly of one nectarine 

 tree, first bearing half-and-half fruit, and subsequently true peaches. 

 As the peach came into existence before the nectarine, it might 

 have been expected from the law of reversion that nectarines 

 would have given birth by bud variation, or by seed to peaches, 

 oftener than peaches to nectarines, but this is by no means the 

 case " (p. 362). Can any theory fit such bewildering facts ? 



*The "Royal George" peach produced a fruit three-quarters peach and 

 one-quarter nectarine, quite distinct in appearance as well as in flavour. The 

 lines of division were longitudinal. 



