1873.] VICTORIA NECTARINE. 503 



those immense Syrians of more recent date produced at the Edinburgh 

 and Glasgow Internationals. We learn from Mr Hunter that this 

 bunch is the product of a Vine struck from an eye in 1869. The Vine 

 was cropped the second year and carried six bunches, one of which was 

 among those with which Mr H. competed successfully at Glasgow last 

 year. This year the Vine bore seven bunches besides the subject of our 

 illustration, which weighed 13 lb. 4 oz., the lightest of the eight being 

 over 4 lb. Our illustration is taken from a photograph, and is an 

 exact representation of the remarkable bunch. 



VICTOKIA NECTARIlSrE. 



Allow me to call attention to this new and, I fancy, but little known 

 fruit — a seedling raised some years ago by Mr Rivers of the Saw- 

 bridgeworth nursery. I have fruited it during the past and present 

 year, and in both instances found its qualities to be such as to deserve 

 extensive cultivation. A late kind, ripens during the end of September, 

 and the beginning of October. I cannot say with certainty, but fear 

 it will hardly succeed in the northern counties of Scotland, unless in 

 favourable localities. Planted in a glass-cased wall it will succeed in 

 any part of Great Britain. I have heard it stated more than once, 

 that it has an aversion to fire-heat, and does not force well ; it may, 

 however, be put in a late house, where just enough heat is applied to 

 exclude frost ; but of this I have no personal experience. 



The fruit is unusually large, averaging 4 oz. in weight, and 

 occasionally in excess of that. The habit is vigorous, as that of most 

 young trees is, but easily corrected. The shape of the fruit is a 

 roundish oval, and rather pointed at the apex. When shaded by the 

 foliage, it is of a light green colour, but when fully exposed, of a light 

 orange and crimson on the sunny side. I strongly suspect this is a 

 seedling from the Stanwick Nectarine, surpassing it in flavour, with- 

 out splitting before it ripens. 



The practice of proving the qualities of seedling Peaches and 

 Nectarines in what are called orchard houses, is far from being an in- 

 fallible method. The crucial test has yet to be made by the gardener 

 under exposure, and not till then can we approach substantial facts. 



Alexander Cramb. 

 ToRTwoRTH Court. 



