212 THE AMERICAN PEACH ORCHARD 



land, and it is impossible to see why similar ad- 

 vances cannot be made in this country. 



In England the nectarine is largely grown under 

 glass, for which use it is often preferred to the peach. 

 Its comparative popularity in that country may be 

 indicated roughly by the fact that Robert Hogg in 

 his Fruit Manual, edition of 1875, named and de- 

 scribed 35 varieties of nectarine exclusive of syno- 

 nyms. These were classified into 12 different 

 groups. On the other hand a careful search through 

 the current catalogs of American nursery firms has 

 found only one which offered any nectarines what- 

 ever. W. T. Smith, of Geneva, N. Y., include 

 three varieties, named and described in their catalog 

 as follows : 



Early Violet, medium size, yellowish green, with 

 a purple cheek, flesh pale green, highly flavored, last 

 of August. 



Elrudge, medium size, pale green covered with dark 

 red, flesh greenish white, melting, very juicy with a rich, 

 high flavor, beginning of September, freestone. 



Gawny, medium size, pale orange, dark cheek, 

 flesh orange, melting, rich, the very best early va- 

 riety, ripening the first of August. 



Professor Wickson in the Cyclopedia of Ameri- 

 can Horticulture, states that the nectarine is grown 

 in California almost exclusively for drying and can- 

 ning, and even for these uses is of but minor im- 

 portance. As compared with peaches, for canning, 

 the output of nectarines is only about one-eighth 

 of one per cent of that of the peach, and for drying 

 only about one per cent of that of the peach. The 

 varieties grown for both canning and drying are the 

 white nectarines, because they do not color the 

 syrup in canning and because when sulphured they 

 make a beautiful translucent amber color. 



