THE DRUPE-FRUITS 129 



(3) The North China or Chinese Cling race was at introduc- 

 tion a well-defined group but is now hopelessly submerged in 

 the mixture of cultivated peaches. The trees of the original 

 varieties were very vigorous, broad-headed, open; leaves large, 

 flat, dark green; flowers very large, usually creamy white and 

 beautifully blushed ; flesh predominatingly white, melting, very 

 good ; season early. Chinese Cling, Belle, Greensboro, Waddell, 

 Hiley, Carman, and Elberta are of this race although several 

 are not pure to type, notably Elberta. Chinese Cling, the 

 parent, came to England in 1844 and was brought to America 

 in 1850. 



(4) The South China or Honey race is better defined than 

 the three preceding. The trees are small, compact, tender 

 to cold, very productive. The fruits are small to medium, 

 oblong-oval, tapering at the apex into a nipple or a beak, with 

 a distinct suture; creamy white, washed and dotted with red; 

 flesh creamy white, red at the pit, melting, with a honey-like 

 flavor ; pit free ; requiring a long season. The original tree was 

 probably brought to this country by Downing about 1860. 

 Honey peaches are grown only in the Gulf States, the com- 

 monest sorts being Honey, Climax, Pallas, Triana, Florida Gem, 

 and Taber (Plate IV). 



(5) The Peento race was originally quite as distinct as the 

 Honey peaches, but by hybridization with the latter group is 

 more and more losing its identity. The trees are vigorous with 

 large willowy branches, very tender to cold; leaves long and 

 narrow; fruit small, flattened endwise in Peento but not so 

 in any of its cultivated progeny; color creamy white, mottled 

 with red; flesh white, red at the pit, melting with a rich sweet 

 flavor. The Peento peaches are now grown profitably only in 

 the Gulf States. Peento, the first of the race, was brought to 

 America previous to 1828 when it was first described; the 

 original home was southern China. 



If worth Avhile to attempt a natural classification of peaches, 

 the few groups of Onderdonk and Price should be divided. 

 There are, for example, twenty or more firm yellow-fleshed 

 clings grown in California for canning; twelve or fifteen of 

 the snowball peaches; as many more of the red-leaved red- 

 fleshed sorts; eighteen or twenty sorts that trace back to the 



