128 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOCY 



184. Classification of varieties of peaches. -Scv.Tal attempts 

 liavt* l)t't'n made to airan^^c tlic peaches grown in Anieriea in 

 natural {.rr()ui)s. The Europeans liave done litth' in classifying 

 this fruit, and none of their efforts is eomprehensive enough to 

 take in more than a very few of the varieties grown in America, 

 nearly all of which originated on this side of the sea and some 

 of tlie types of which are unknown on the other side. Onderdonk 

 and Price, both of Texas, toward the close of the last century, 

 grouped the varieties then grown in five natural races. These 

 races may have been distinct at the time of their introduction 

 to this country, but through hybridization became so blended 

 that the groups established overlapped in so many characters 

 tliat few excepting type sorts could be placed satisfactorily. 

 Year by year the fusion by hybridization has proceeded until 

 it is useless to try to keep the races proposed as a basis of 

 classification. These races of Onderdonk and Price are of 

 interest, however, as they show very well what and whence were 

 the progenitors of American peaches. The following groups, 

 modifications of Onderdonk 's and Price 's races, serve to show the 

 types of peaches that have been introduced in North America. 



(1) The Spanish race is characterized by small compact 

 trees, late, rather small round fruits which are streaked and 

 mottled with red; flesh yellow, white, or red; quality good, the 

 flavor often having a suggestion of pineapple. Cabler, Co- 

 lumbia, Florida, Indian, La Reine, Lula, Texas, and Victoria, 

 none of them very valuable, are typical of the Spanish Race. 

 The progenitors of this race were probably brought to America 

 by the first Spanish discoverers. 



(2) In the Persian race Onderdonk and Price put several 

 types so distinct that it is impossible to define the limits of the 

 group clearly. To name well-known varieties in this compre- 

 hensive race will serve to show the characters the group is sup- 

 posed to contain and at the same time how hopeless is a natural 

 classification of peach varieties. One or another of those who 

 defined this group placed in it the Crawfords, Chairs, Alexander, 

 Heath Cling, Oldmixon, Champion, Salwey, Crosby, and Wager, 

 each sort so different from any other that any one of them might 

 be the type of a distinct group. Progenitors of this group were 

 brought to America by early English settlers. 



