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Missouri Botanical 
Garden Bulletin 
Vol. XII MAY, 1924 No. 5 
FORCING PEACHES AND NECTARINES 
Although the common peach (Prunus Persica) was once 
thought to have originated in Persia and will probably always 
carry in its name record of this mistake, it is now known to 
be a native of China and is a true species. The nectarine 
(Prunus Persica var. nucipersica), which is distinguished 
from the peach by its smooth skin and the more strongly 
serrate leaves, is said to have originated from the peach 
through both seed and bud variation. The nectarine is not 
generally cultivated in the middle west, but in California, 
where the climate is more stable, it is grown in all parts of 
the state. As in the peach, there are two types, the cling- 
and free-stone varieties. When grown outdoors the flavor of 
the fruit does not compare with that grown under glass. 
In England and other sections of Europe having a cool 
climate it is possible to grow nectarines only when trained 
against a wall with southern exposure and even then winter 
protection is necessary. The American tourist often mistakes 
the almond tree, frequently planted in gardens, for the peach. 
Both peaches and nectarines are well adapted to greenhouse 
cultivation and are grown under glass to a considerable 
extent in Europe, trained to espaliers. Since they yield 
annual crops, they are popular with owners of private estates. 
Improved varieties of both peaches and nectarines have 
been produced by planting seeds of either type resulting 
from hand pollination. Favorable results have also been 
obtained by intercrossing the peach with the nectarine, one 
of the best midseason peaches, ‘‘Peregrine’’, being the result 
of a cross with the nectarine, ‘‘Spencer’’. To offset the 
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