[ THE PEACH AND THE NECTARINE 



23. THE MALTA RED NECTARINE. This is another 

 ancient local variety, inferior to the preceding but 

 superior to most foreign sorts recently introduced in the 

 Island. The tree is very vigorous and very productive, 

 with rather thick, red twigs. The fruit is middling or 

 large, round or slightly oval, smooth, shallow-grooved, 

 with a short pointed navel. The peel is thin but tough; 

 the colour is greenish yellow or pale yellow, almost 

 entirely washed red or carmine red, more intense on the 

 sunny side, paler and often limited to large and irregular 

 blotches on the shaded side. The flesh is creamy white, 

 well separated from the stone. It is melting, very juicy, 

 sweet and well perfumed with a delicious acidulous 

 flavour. Matures in July or early in August. This 

 variety is now more grown than the white nectarine on 

 account of its supposed greater resistance to the fruit fly. 



24. THE MALTA LARGE RED NECTARINE. The 

 tree is very vigorous and fairly productive. The fruit is 

 large or very large, spherical, with a fairly deep groove 

 and an indistinct navel. The peel is thin and delicate, 

 it is greenish yellow or pale yellow, well washed all over 

 with clear red, of a deeper shade towards the sun, and 

 heavily marbled or blotched red on the shaded side. The 

 flesh is well detached from the stone, creamy white, a 

 little greenish on the shaded side, very juicy and sugary, 

 with a delicate perfume and a delicious vinous flavour. 

 Matures in August, and must be handled with care, the 

 peel being easily injured. This is an excellent nectarine, 

 but keeps badly. 



25. THE ARMIEL NECTARINE. This nectarine 

 originated as a seedling, in the old Armiel Nursery and 

 was propagated at San Antonio Gardens in 1908. The 

 tree is very vigorous and productive. The fruit is large 

 or very large, oval, smooth, with an indistinct navel. The 

 peel is rather thin but tough. The colour is pale yellow, 

 broadly washed claret, marbled red on the shaded side. 

 The flesh is free from the stone, and is creamy yellow, 



