228 PEACHES. 



84. HEATH. 



This very fine clingstone peach is generally esteem- 

 ed the finest in our country : the original stone was 

 brought by the late Mr. Daniel Heath from the Med- 

 iterranean : it has ever since been propagated from the 

 stone in Maryland, where 1 have seen it in great 

 abundance and high perfection, as a natural fruit, in 

 September and October ; it is usually propagated in 

 this and the adjoining States by inoculation ; I have 

 for some years raised them from the stone, and have 

 now a number of vigorous trees from stones brought 

 from Maryland. It is a very large fruit ; of a form 

 rather oblong, and uniformly terminating in a point at 

 the head the flesh is singularly rich, tender, melting, 

 and juicy the stone frequently opens, disclosing the 

 kernel the skin is a rich cream-coloured white, some 

 times with a faint blush, but the finest peaches are en- 

 tirely white the juice is so abundant, as to make it 

 difficult to eat this peach without injury to the clothes; 

 the leaf is luxuriant and smooth at the edge, the tree 

 vigorous, hardy and long-lived, compared with other 

 trees the fruit ripens in September, lasts through 

 the month of October, and is frequently eaten in high 

 perfection in November : it is of all peaches, when not 

 too ripe, the most admired when preserved in sugar, 

 or in brandy. 



