dark-red or purple, and pronounced in flavor superior to the Washinfffon by all wlio tasted. 

 Imperial Oagc ripe the 25th of July ; superior in flavor to either of the former. Bhi'jham, about 

 the 1st of August; very gooil, large plum. German Prune, Cth of August; niul allliough very 

 rainy, hung on the tree until nearly dry, and 1 believe of an ordinary dry season would make 

 good prunes on the tree in this climate. I gathered a few from the tree partially dry, and cured 

 them completely in the sun in a few days. 



Peaches. — The first to ripen was the "wee bit" Nutmefj, which came the 22d day of June as 

 the harbinger of good things which kind Nature had in store for us; and ne.\t the Early Anne — 

 good, very good, because just at that time (the 10th of July) there was nothing better. But 

 just eight days after, July the ISth, the Early Tillotson was here, fully sustaining its high reputa- 

 tion as an early peach, and two da}s after, July the 20th, the Early York was its comiutitor for 

 the honor of being called the best; and before I could decide, the 25th of July brought Cole's 

 Early Red, " with its blushing honors thick iipon it," and it's really hard for that mouth which 

 tasted all to say which was best; but if all were not best, "the last was not least." Then from 

 the 25th to the last of July we had the Bellegarde, the Gross Mignonne, the Royal George, George 

 the Fourth, Cravfonts Early, and the Monterey. The four tirst were large and beautiful to behold, 

 but watery and iusijiid to the last degree in flavor, hardly equal to a Duteh turnip ; and though 

 every tree was loaded to the ground, the curse and the fate of the fig tree should be theirs, if I did 

 not happen to know better. Kow, in 1851, all the three first bore fruit the first time, and better 

 and more delicious fruit I never tasted during their season. Then why was it so this year ? 

 Why, for six or eight weeks previous to July the 12tli, the season had been "as dry as a chip" — 

 neither rain nor dew enough to wet the gossamer as it floated lazily in the hot atmosphere ; but 

 from the 12th to the time of ripening, showers innumerable came pattering down both thick and 

 fast — rain, rain, rain — until the poor jieaches were drenched to the skin, and thiough the skin, and 

 being fed on water alone, and having no sunshine to assist in elaborating their own rich saccharine 

 juices, they "were compelled to submit to the force of circumstances" and turn turnip. Doubt- 

 less in a more auspicious season they will be, what they long have been, "very hard to beat." 

 But the two latter were very good — Crauford's Early, perhaps, as good as it ever was. And here 

 I will remark that there was not a single yellow peach in my collection that seemed at all affected 

 by the wet season. The Yellow Alberge ripened next, the first week in August, and a more luscious 

 peach I never tasted — full to overflowing with the richest saccharine juice, tender, sweet, and 

 melting; it was exquisitely delicious, and had this been the fruit which mother Eve "gave also 

 unto her husband," I should feel strongly inclined to excuse her upon the ground that having 

 eaten of it herself, she wanted every body else to have some, and rather than blame, would com- 

 mend her generosity and benevolence. 



"Well, sir, having " run away with matters" in praising this peach, while I know the books 

 have said so little for it, it woidd be well to mention that I may be mistaken as to identity ; but 

 I obtained it from the nursery of Messrs. J. <fe G. Lindley for the Yellow Alberge, and it answers 

 to the description in Ellwangf.r & Barry's catalogue. Be it what it may, it deserves all I have 

 said of it, and more, if I could say it. It is the first year the trees have fruited with me, and "if it 

 holds out as it has begun," I will travel fifty miles on foot to see and taste the peaeh that beats it. 



From the 12th to the 20th of August the Old Jli.von ripened, and the first peaches that ripened 

 were very, very insipid indeea — owing, doubtless, to the wet season ; but those that ripened from 

 the 16th to the 20th were fully " worthy of its ancient renown." Then, too, on the 20th of August 

 we have the Late Admirable, a very nice peach, and the same date we have Crawford's Late, "in 

 fair round bell}'," "cutting a swell over every thing" in peaehdom. I measured one this morn- 

 ing nine and a half inches in circumference. The Pavie de Pomponne is ripe here on the 20th, 

 but neither so large or so good as the Crawford's Late. The Blood Cling, the Catherine Cling, 

 and the Heath Cling have yet to ripen with us, and judging from what I have seen, fruits ripen 

 here just one month sooner than in the neighborhood of Rochester, N. Y. 



