158 



EARLY NEWINGTON 



HUMBOLT 



the Improved Downton of Rivers, differing in 

 having a better bearing tree and a more richly 

 flavored fruit. 



Tree of medium size, upright-spreading, hardy, very 

 productive. Leaves large, lanceolate, thin, dark green, 

 with kidney-shaped glands. Flowers midseason, 1 inch 

 in diameter, pink, often in pairs, on short, glabrous, 

 green pedicels. Fruit midseason, 2 inches in diameter, 

 round-oval ; cavity medium in width and depth ; suture 

 shallow ; apex a sharp tip ; color greenish-white, with 

 a clean, lively red cheek next to the sun ; flesh pale green, 

 red at the stone, juicy, tender, fine-grained, sweet mingled 

 with some piquancy, rich, aromatic ; quality very good ; 

 stone free, ovate, medium in size, corrugated. 



EARLY NEWINGTON. This old Eng- 

 lish nectarine was at one time very generally 

 offered by American nurserymen, and an oc- 

 casional tree of it is still to be found. The 

 rich, sugary, vinous flavor commends the fruit, 

 but the stone clings so tenaciously to the juicy 

 flesh that the variety is not in favor with 

 dainty eaters. It is an old sort, dating back 

 a century or more, a seedling of Newington, 

 from which it differs in its earlier fruits, which 

 are larger, darker red, and richer in flavor; the 

 parent is now discarded. 



Tree large, spreading, hardy, productive. Leaves of 

 medium size, lanceolate, thin, dark green, serrated, 

 without glands. Flowers rather early, large, pink. Fruit 

 early ; large, 2 inches in diameter, round-ovate, irregular 

 being enlarged on one side of the suture ; cavity rather 

 deep and wide ; suture well marked ; apex with a sharp, 

 swollen point ; color pale green with an over-color of 

 lively red, marbled with darker red and usually covered 

 with light bloom ; flesh pale green, deeply stained with 

 red at the stone, rich, sweet, juicy, aromatic ; quality 

 very good ; stone of medium size, clinging rather 

 tenaciously, ovate. 



ELRUGE. Fig. 146. Mentioned first in 

 1670 and probably much older, Elruge is a 

 time-honored landmark in the evolution of 

 nectarines, and at the same time one of the 

 best of its species. It is seldom to be found 

 in the commercial plantations of California, 

 but for over a hundred years has been an in- 

 habitant of fruit-fanciers' collections on the 



146. Elruge. (X%) 



Atlantic seaboard, and is still offered by sev- 

 eral eastern nurserymen. The fruit, while of 

 but medium size, is voluptuously inviting in 

 appearance, by reason of its trim contour, 

 smooth flesh-colored skin, and crimson cheek, 

 which, with its rich flavor, make it an alluring 

 dessert fruit. Elruge, formerly spelled Elrouge, 

 is said to have originated with a nurseryman 

 in England named Gourle (Elrouge being an 



anagram of Gourle) in the time of Charles the 

 Second. 



Tree of medium size, compact, hardy, very productive, 

 excellent for forcing under glass. Leaves rather large, 

 thin, lanceolate, dark green, with reniform glands. 

 Flowers midseason, small, % inch in diameter, deep 

 pink, solitary or in twos. Fruit midseason, 1% inches 

 in diameter, round-oval, regular ; cavity of medium width 

 and depth ; apex a swollen point ; color creamy-white 

 with a crimson cheek, sometimes sun-freckled with red ; 

 skin thin, adherent ; flesh white, red at the pit, juicy, 

 tender, piquant, aromatic ; quality very good ; stone 

 free, small. 



HARDWICKE. In southern California, 

 Hardwicke is the favorite nectarine, being the 

 heaviest and most dependable bearer. The 

 fruits are said to make a most excellent dried 

 product, as the cured nectarines have a rich 

 flavor, and the flesh becomes almost trans- 

 lucent and of a beautiful amber tint. Eastern 

 nurserymen do not offer the variety, and it is 

 doubtful if trees can be found in the East. It 

 is an old English nectarine, said to be a seed- 

 ling of Elruge, introduced into the United 

 States sometime previous to 1850. 



Tree vigorous, hardy, spreading, productive. Leaves 

 rather small, medium green, thin, without glands. Flow- 

 ers large, more than an inch in diameter. Fruit mid- 

 season, very large, round or sometimes round-oval ; color 

 pale green almost covered with dark purplish red which 

 becomes a solid color on the sunny side ; flesh greenish, 

 stained with red at the stone, tender, and melting, 

 juicy, rich and sweet ; quality good ; stone of medium 

 size, free, ovate. 



HUMBOLT. Fig. 147. This is a compara- 

 tively new English nectarine, which, neverthe- 

 less, has been under cultivation for at least a 



147. Humbolt. (X%) 



half century, so slowly do nectarines change. 

 Pomologists in California speak of it as one 

 of the best for some locations in that state. 

 The large, deep-rose flowers are so beautiful 

 that the variety is well worth cultivating as 

 an ornamental. This variety is one of the 

 many nectarines which originated with Rivers, 

 the famous nurseryman, Sawbridgeworth, Eng- 

 land. 



Tree large, vigorous, hardy, usually productive, often 

 bearing the second year out. Leaves long, thin, medium 

 green, with round glands. Flowers very large, 1% 

 inches in diameter, deep rose, solitary or in twos or 

 threes. Fruit late, large, 2% inches in diameter, oblong- 

 oval ; cavity rather shallow ; apex a swollen point, 

 slightly depressed ; suture shallow or a hair-line ; color 

 yellow-orange, stained, streaked, mottled with dull red 

 and sometimes sun-flecked on the cheek to the sun ; 

 flesh yellow, almost orange, tender, juicy, red at the 

 pit, sweet, rich and aromatic ; quality very good ; stone 

 free, obovate to ovate, pointed, corrugated, pitted, brown. 



