On the Cultivatioyi of the Mushroom. 



155 



fruit when quite young, in 1840 or '41, at which time Mr. 

 Thomas kindly gave us buds for propagation. It was 

 an accidental seedling, which 

 sprang up in his garden, and 

 bore when only seven or eight 

 years old. In general appear- 

 ance, it resembles Denyer's Vic- 

 toria, having the same delicate 

 amber or salmon-colored skin, 

 but of larger size, and of supe- 

 rior flavor. The tree is vigor- 

 ous and productive, and bears 

 early. 



Fruit, large, about two inches 

 long, and one and three quar- 

 ters in diameter, of oblong form, 

 flattened at the apex, tapering 

 to each end, with a shallow 

 suture, one half larger than the 

 other : Skin, dark amber color, beautifully mottled and shaded 

 with bright red on the sunny side near the apex, profusely 

 sprinkled with white dots, and covered with a thin whitish 

 bloom : Stem, medium length, about half an inch, rather stout, 

 and deeply inserted in a contracted cavity : Flesh, deep yel- 

 low, half-melting, and separating from the stone : Juice abun- 

 dant, sweet, and pleasantly flavored : Stone, rather large, 

 roundish ovate, thick, and light-colored. Ripe in September. 



Wood rather stout, and slightly downy. 



17. Thomas. 



Art. III. On the Cultivation of the Mushroom. By J. Ken- 

 nedy, Gardener to S. T. Jones, Esq., Staten Island, N. Y. 



Sir, — I have more than once been surprised, that, amongst 

 the many valuable articles which appear monthly in the pages 

 of your magazine, on the various branches of Floriculture and 

 Horticulture, nothing, so far as I have seen, has been said 



