CHAP. VH.] PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 173 



been lately introduced from Syria, and they 

 form an entirely new class of peaches and 

 nectarines, having sweet eatable kernel-, as 

 well as delicious "pulp. The Stanwick necta- 

 rine is about the size of an Elruge, and it is 

 somewhat like it in shape. The skin is pale, 

 with a slight violet tinge on one side ; and the 

 flesh is white, exceedingly melting, juicy, rich, 

 and sugary, without the slightest flavour of 

 prussic acid. The stone is very rugged, and of 

 a deep chocolate colour; and the kernel is 

 sweet, like that of a nut. This nectarine is 

 about a fortnight later than most of the other 

 kinds, and in some situations the tree retains 

 its leaves all the winter. Both peaches and 

 nectarines are budded on plum stocks, or on 

 seedling peaches or almonds, the latter being 

 greatly preferred by the French nurserymen. 

 The best soil for peaches is, about three parts 

 of fresh turfy loam taken from some field, and 

 one part of drift sand. This soil should be 

 moderately enriched with vegetable mould 

 composed of decayed leaves, or very rotten 

 dung, and it should be laid on the prepared 

 chamber to the depth of about eighteen inches, 

 rather less than more. Care should be taken 

 not to enrich the soil with too much manure, 

 lest the trees should produce more wood than 

 they can ripen. No tree is more liable to 

 produce what gardeners call water shoots or 

 gourmands, than the peach, if over-manured ; 

 and these are shoots which grow with great 

 luxuriance, but which, as they bear only leaves 

 and never fruit, waste the vigour of the tree 

 unprofitably. When the trees are to be planted, 



