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G50 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. Ee 
THE SPANISH RACE, 
We havc been calling this race Spanish because we could not trace its history with 
any certainty farther than Spain. It appears to have been introduced from Spain 
to Mexico some two hundred and fifty years ago by the Catholic missionaries. It 
seems to have come to Florida in a similar way. It has been so long cultivated from 
seed in southern climates that it has become developed into a distinct race. The 
varieties of this race are mostly early bloomers, and they continue to grow through- 
out the long Southern season til interrupted by the comparative cold of our winters. 
This race has become widely scattered in the Gulf States and constitutes a hardy 
race of seedlings which have become the foundation of many choice varieties, cor- 
responding closely in quality and appearance of fruit with some of the standard 
varieties of the Persian race. Prior to the introduction of the southern Chinese 
race into the extreme South, the Spanish race supplied the only possibility of suc- 
cessful peach orchards in the coast region of the Gulf. The relative isothermal 
position of this race will be seen by reference to the accompanying diagram. 
THE SOUTHERN CHINESE RACE. 
This race, as far as it is now represented in the United States, consists of the 
Honey peach and its progeny. Mr. Charles Downing, of New York, obtained some 
seed from China, and the original Honey tree seems to have been the only result of 
this lotof seed. The high latitude in which Mr. Downing lived was so unfavorable 
to the race that the original tree never fruited.. Buta budded tree was given to Mr. 
Henry Lyons, of Columbia, S. C., about 1855. The variety was placed in the hands 
of Mr. P. J. Berckmans, of Augusta, Ga., and the entire stock was held by him 
until 1858, when it was sent out for the first time: but it was not of superior value 
at Augusta, being still above its proper zone. When it was tried in Florida and in 
southern Texas it was found to be of very special merit; it ripens a little before the 
Tillotson. Several seedlings have been produced from it of special value to the ex- 
treme South, where the early varieties of the Persian race range from uncertain to 
impossible, according to the thermal conditions of the locality. This race supplies. 
our hardiest trees in the coast country of Texas and will always bear well, however 
mild the preceding winter. This race is not valuable in extreme north Texas. I 
have not obtained its proper northern limit, but have represented its zone on the 
diagram as falling a little short of that of the Persian race. 
THE PEEN-TO RACE. 
This race was intoduced by Mr. P.J. Berckmans, of Augusta,Ga. He imported 
the pits from Australia in 1859. It was found worthless at Augusta, being above 
its proper zone; but it has been found of decided value in Florida. In the coast 
region of Texas generally the fruit of the Peen-to is mostly lost on account of its _ 
extremely early blooming. In southern Louisiana and in our extreme Southwest, 
at Brownsville, Tex., it promises better and may be found valuable. In general 
terms, I should say, after watching the Peen-to for a number of years, that in south- 
ern Texas generally this race is yet too far north to be successful, and belongs be- 
low the isothermal lines of 70°. Several seedlings of this race have been obtained 
which seem to be of great value only when far enough south to be in an orange- 
. growing country. In fact, it would be interesting to see how far south of the zone 
of any other type this race might flourish. 
There are some hybrids beween the Peen-to and south Chinese type which promise 
highly. This race will undoubtedly prove to be a tropical type of peaches, fully 
at home among the oranges, lemons, bananas, pine-apples, guavas, and cocoa-nuts. 
SUPPLEMENTARY. 
A survey of the limits of the different zones embraced in our general peach belt 
presents to the mind the interesting conclusion that, if the proper races are selected 
as material, peach culture is possible in every latitude of our great country, from 
the Great Lakes to our extreme Southern lhmits. 
