Peach 



485 



11. PEACH 



GENUS AMYGDALUS LINN.^US 

 Species Amygdalus Persica Linnaeus 



HIS well-known fruit tree has become naturalized throughout the greater 

 portion of the southern States, and is abundantly spontaneous in 

 waste places and on roadsides in the middle and northern States. It 

 is a broad-headed, low tree, attaining a height of about 7 meters, 

 with a trunk diameter of 2 dm. 



The bark of old trees is rough, scaly and dark brown; the twigs are round, 

 smooth, glossy green, changing to purpHsh and finally gray. The leaves are 

 alternate, simple, elHptic to lanceolate or 

 oblong, 8 to 10 cm. long, tapering toward 

 each end, sometimes blunt at the base, 

 sharply toothed, Hght green and shining 

 above, paler beneath ; the stout leaf-stalk is 

 5 to 10 mm. long. The flowers develop 

 from scaly buds formed the previous sea- 

 son at the axils of the leaves, expand be- 

 fore the leaves, are few or many, usually 

 pink and very fragrant; the calyx-tube is 

 urn-shaped, its 5 lobes obovate, usually 

 purpUsh; the 5 petals are spreading, 8 to 

 20 mm. long, rounded at the apex; stamens 

 20 to 30, the filaments slender and distinct, 

 usually colored ; the ovary is sessile, i-celled, 



and surmounted by a simple style terminated by a small stigma. The fruit is a 

 soft, velvety drupe, subglobular, with a groove on one side, 4 to 10 cm. in diameter; 

 the sweetish, acidulous, 1 aromatic flesh is adherent to or free from the hard, long 

 stone, which is elHptic or ovoid, somewhat compressed, pointed, deeply wrinkled 

 and pitted externally, polished within; the seed is almond-Hke, aromatic, and 

 slightly bitter. 



The peach is a native of Asia. Long cultivation has developed numerous 

 varieties as to size and shape of the fruit, color and taste of the flesh, and its free- 

 dom from the stone, as well as to time of ripening. Ornamental forms, with 

 insignificant fruit or none, are planted on account of their double, rose-hke 

 flowers or colored foliage. 



The wood is rather soft, coarse-grained, and hght brown. In India it is a 

 favorite building material. The foliage and seed develop considerable hydro- 

 cyanic acid; the seeds are used in the manufacture of a substitute for oil of bitter 

 almonds; a bland, fixed oil is also expressed from them. 



Amygdalus is supposed to have been the Syrian name of the Almond, which, 



