236 



Axn (7.-}A'/)/':a7-:a".s a/o^vtz/lv 



[Aitpist, 



was awarded a First Class C'ortiCicatc hv the 

 Royal IlortiniUiiral Society, AiiLMist 4lh, 1875. 

 It was mufli admired when exhibited at the In- 

 ternational Kxl)il)ition at Cologne, Angust, 

 187/), and at Edinluiruii in September. — MESSRt^. 

 J. V I ETCH & Sons. 



DouuLE-FunvEHEi) Ci NERAiu^s. — Accord- 

 ing to all accounts these continue to improve 

 with each succeeding year. 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Calceolarias. — With a box of remarkably 

 beautiful flowei-s, we have the following note 

 from Mr. Roderick Campbell, of the Forest Hill 

 Cemetery, Utica, X. Y. If the publication of 

 this note shall lead to an increased culture of 

 this beautiful flower, it will do good to flower 

 culture : 



" I have forwarded to your address, by mail, 

 two boxes of Calceolaria flowers, from seed sown 

 last Sept., 1877. The plants aie grown in G and 



8-inch pots, and number '2tVI jilants ; the smallest 

 plants average 18 inches through at the top, and 

 the largest 26 inches at the top, and about 18 

 inches high, one nuvss of (lowers, and just as you 

 see them. I shouhl l)e pleased to know what you 

 think of them. They arc arranged around the 

 largH conservatory, and make a splendid show." 



A.MAUVLLis. — ,Ias. R. Townsend, New York, 

 writes: "Will some of your correspondents, 

 who have had experience, give me some infor- 

 mation regarding Amaryllis Belladonna andVit- 

 tata, and the Nerine. When they should be dried 

 off, and for how long, and when they should 

 be started into growth again : should they be 

 kept without any water, like the other Amarj^l- 

 lis ? Secondly. By proper attention to growing 

 and resting, can they be made to bloom every 

 year like Amaryllis Prince of Orange, Regina, 

 &c., &c.? The writer has no trouble with these, 

 but the Belladonnas and others will not bloom. 

 Any information you can give would much 

 oblige. The writer has no green-house, only 

 cold-frames and hot-beds." 



Fruit and Vegetable Gardening. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



NEW EARLY PEACHES. 



BY CIIAS. DOWNING. 



During the past few years many new varieties 

 of early peaches have been introduced, com- 

 mencing with Alexander and Amsden, in this 

 country, and Early Beatrice, Early Louise, 

 Early Rivers, &c, by Thomas Rivers of Eng- 

 land. About the 20th of June I received from 

 D. S. Mj'ers, of Bridgeville, Delaware, speci- 

 mens of Kinnaman Seedling, which originated 

 with Samuel Kinnaman, of Delaware. Fruit 

 of medium size, roundish ; skin pale brownish- 

 red, on a pale greenish ground ; flesh greenish- 

 white to the stone, jucy, sweet, and of very good 

 flavor, and adheres partially to the pit. It is 

 said to be some days earlier than Alexander or 

 Amsden. Also about the same time, speci- 

 mens of the Thomas Burns peach were received 

 from Thos. F. Burns, of Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, 

 who writes me " that it is the earliest peach 

 known, being nearly a month earlier than the 

 Alexander, in this climate. The tree bore about 

 a half bushel, all ripening even, and about the 



I same time — June 15th. For beauty of color and 

 i hardiness of tree I think it cannot be surpassed, 

 'audit being a cling, also gives it precedence 

 over any other variety. The tree was bought 

 for Hale's Early, but proved to be a seedling." 

 Fruit rather large, roundish, slightly depressed;, 

 suture large, ending at the apex, which is a 

 small point; skin whitish, shaded and mottled 

 with light red nearly over the whole surface ; 

 flesh white to the stone, to which it adheres ; 

 jucy, melting, sweet, and very good in quality. 



A month earlier than the Alexander, or an}' 

 other variety, is certainly a great advance, and 

 I think there must be some mistake ; either the 

 tree stands in some favorable locality, or some 

 other cause operating to ripen it so early. Mr. 

 Burns does not state whether the Alexander 

 grows near this variety or not, which would have 

 given a better test as to earliness. [Mr. Down- 

 ing Avrites, as we are correcting this proof, that 

 it is the Alexander. — Ed.] 



Another seedling, claimed to be two weeks 

 earlier than Amsden, was found on the premises 

 of a Mr. Morrow, and now owned by W. L. 

 Brown, of Ashley, Illinois. The tree is three 

 years old, and the fruit is said to be very beauti- 



