NAT. ORDER. AMADYLACEJE. Ill 



di.xtinct fruit. Tlicre are many varieties of the Peach. Tusser in 

 1573 mentions Peaches white and red ; Parkinson in 1629 enumer- 

 ates 21 sorts; and Miller in 1750, 31 varieties. Several attempts 

 have been made to class the varieties of Peaches and nectarines by 

 the leaf and flow er, as well as the fruit ; some also founded on the 

 glands of the leaves ; but none of these arrangements have been 

 found sufficiently perfect for the purpose of this work. 



Culture of the Peach in the open air. Selection of So?-ts. — We are 

 "informed by those who are ftimiliar with rearing Peach orchards, 

 that except the situation be completely favorable as to climate^ aspect, 

 and shelter, forbear to plant very early, or extreme late fruit, for frost 

 will almost invariably cut off the former, when blooming and setting, 

 and the latter will hardly ripen under the declining heat of autumn. 

 The Peaches proper for a small garden, according to Forsyth, are: 

 the Earlij Avunt, Small Mignonne, Anne Royal, George, Royal Ken- 

 sington, Noblesse, Early Ncwington, Gulandc, Early Purple, Chan- 

 cellor, Nivettc, Catherine^ and Late Neicington. 



Propagating to pi'ocure neic varieties. The Peach is raised from 

 the stone ; and this mode is pursued in this country even from pro- 

 curing trees for common purposes. The Peaches called Acton-Scot 

 and Spring-grove were thus originated ; the parent trees were dwarfs 

 planted in large pots ; these being brought into a vigorous state of 

 health, the pistils of the blossoms of one sort were impregnated with 

 the pollen of another : only three Peaches were suffered to remain 

 on the same tree ; and from saving the stones of the above-mentioned 

 Peaches, other varieties were produced ; the male parent of the latter 

 ■was the large French Mignonne ; and the female the little red nut- 

 meg, which choice is consistent with the general principle, that the 

 most perfect and vigorous offsprings will be obtained of plants, as of 

 animals, when the male and female parent are not too closely rela- 

 ted to cacli other. The Peach does not, like many other species of 

 fruits, much exercise the patience of the gardener who raises it from 

 seed ; for it may always be made to bear when tliree years old. In 



