172 THE MANAGEMENT OF [CHAP. VII. 



against a wall in England, though it is fre- 

 quently in Scotland. In the neighbourhood of 

 London, figs and grapes are grown against 

 walls in the open ground ; and throughout the 

 south of Devonshire this is the case with olives 

 and the orange tribe. 



Stone Fruits. — All kinds of stone fruits are 

 more or less delicate at the time of forming 

 their stones, or " stoning," as it is called ; and 

 the fruit requires thinning at that period, to 

 prevent the greater part of it from dropping 

 off. All the stone fruit trees blossom early, and 

 are delicate while their flowers are expanded. 

 For these reasons their crops are more uncer- 

 tain in a variable climate like that of England, 

 than the crops of the kernel fruits, and require 

 more care and attention to bring them to per- 

 fection. 



Peaches and Nectarines. — The peach and 

 the nectarine are only varieties of one species ; 

 and instances have been known of peaches and 

 nectarines growing on the same tree without 

 grafting. Both peaches and nectarines are 

 divided into two kinds : the free stones, the 

 flesh of which parts readily from the stone; 

 and the cling stones, the flesh of which adheres 

 to the stone. Some of the best peaches for a 

 small garden are the Grosse mignonne, Belle- 

 garde, and Barrington. The earliest peach is 

 the Red Nutmeg, which ripens in July ; and one 

 of the latest is the Catherine, which does not 

 ripen till October. The best nectarines are the 

 Elruge and the Violette native, with the New 

 White for a variety in colour. The Stan wick 

 Nectarine and the Sweet-kernelled Peach have 



