166 



PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



The almond appears to be the parent 

 of the peach and nectarine, and is its best 

 and most appropriate stock. These can 

 only be propagated by budding; for 

 although they will grow by grafting, they 

 are liable to become diseased, and to gum 

 at the part where the scion is fixed on the 

 stock. In sheltered situations, I have seen 

 very fine peaches produced on standard 

 trees in the open ground, and had a tree 

 growling which, for many years, produced 

 a considerable quantity of fruit, which 

 was large and of good flavour; it "was a 

 seedling tree, and I have retained the kind 

 which I now call the Botanic-garden 

 peach in our catalogue. In America 

 peach trees grow commonly in orchards, 

 and the principal purpose to which they 

 are applied, is for distilling an ardent 

 spirit called Peach Brandy, which the 

 American farmers turn to good account, 

 by selling it to the Indians of the back 

 states. 



