PEACHES AND NECTARINES. 



'73 



which ripens about the middle of July. I have only this year ordered 

 a tree of each variety, and so their merits have not been tested ; but 

 the Early Louise is spoken of in the highest terms. The figures are 

 taken from specimens kindly sent me by Mr. Rivers. 



The Victoria is another early peach ; it has been very fine for some 

 years, but this year it was comparatively worthless. I grow also the Early 



FIG. 319. Early Louise. 1 FIG. 320. Early Beatrice. 



Alfred, but it has not as yet fruited. The Abec is a fine large fruit, with 

 large ornamental flowers. The Grosse Mignonne (fig. 321) is highly 

 extolled by pomologists ; but peaches with down upon the skin are 

 not agreeable to me, as I think them greatly inferior to the Noblesse 

 (fig. 322), which is far more delicious in flavour. The George the Fourth 



FIG. 321. Early Grosse 

 Mignonne. 



FIG. 322.-Noble.se. FIG. 32 3.-Be]legard 



. 324- Late Admirable. 



is another most excellent peach, but very liable to fungous growth. 

 The Bellegard (fig. 323) is a fine fruit, and the Late Admirable (fig. 324) 

 is a peach of the largest size, which ripens when all the other kinds 

 have passed away, and is, when thoroughly in perfection, a fruit of 

 the highest order of merit. 



In my orchard-house the peach-trees are grown as trained trees before 

 the glass, as bushes, and as standards. Nothing can be more interesting 

 than to see one of my peach standards covered with its beautiful fruit, 

 and nothing can rival the quality of the fruit when it is so grown. 

 1 All the figures of peaches and nectarines are drawn one-third of their diameter. 



