Chap. X. PEACH AND NECTAKINE. 361 



be distinguished, as I am infomied by Mr. Kivcrs, whilst young, 

 that they have been ranked by some authors as specifically distinct. 

 Gallesio does not doubt that they are distinct ; even Alph. De CandoUe 

 does not appear perfectly assured of their specific identity: and an 

 eminent botanist has quite recently ^'' maintained that the nectarine 

 " probably constitutes a distinct species." 



Hence it may be wortli while to give all the evidence on the 

 origin of the nectarine. The facts in themselves are ciirious, and 

 will hereafter liave to be referred to when the important subject 

 of bud-variation is discussed. It is asserted ^' that the Boston 

 nectarine was produced from a peach-stone, and this nectarine 

 reproduced itself by seed.^^ Mr. Elvers states ^* that from stones 

 of three distinct varieties of the peach he raised tkree varieties 

 of nectarine; and in one of these cases no nectarine grew near 

 the parent peach-tree. In another instance Mr. Rivers raised a 

 nectarine from a peach, and in the succeeding generation another 

 nectarine from this nectarine.^" Other such instances have been 

 communicated to me, but they need not be given. Of the converse 

 case, namely, of nectarine-stones yielding peach-trees (both fi-ee and 

 clingstones), we have six undoubted instances recorded by Mr. 

 Elvers ; and in two of these instances the parent nectarines had 

 been seedlings from other nectarines.''' 



With respect to the more curious case of full-grown peach-trees 

 suddenly producing nectarines by bud-variation (or sports as they 

 are called by gardeners), the evidence is SM])eralHindant ; there is 

 also good evidence of tlie same tree producing both peaches and necta- 

 rines, or half-and-half fruit ; by this term I mean a fruit with the 

 one-half a perfect peach, and the other half a perfect nectarine. 



Peter CoUinson in 1741 recorded the first case of a peach-tree 

 proilucing a nectarine,^- and in 1766 he added two other instances. 

 In the same work, the editor. Sir J. E. Smith, describes the more 

 remarkable case of a tree in Norfolk wliich usually bore both 

 perfect nectarines and perfect peaches; but during two seasons 

 some of the fruit were half and half in nature. 



Mr. Salisbury in 1808 *^ records six other cases of peach-trees 

 producing nectarines. Three of the varieties are named ; viz., tlie 

 Alberge, Belle Chevreuse, and Eoyal George. This latter tree seldom 

 failed to produce both kinds of fruit. He gives another case of 

 a half-and-half fi'uit. 



At Eadford in Devonshire*'' a clingstone peach, purchased as 



'« Godron, ' De I'Espfece,' torn, ii., Chron.,' 1859, p. 774, 1862, p. 1195; 



1859, p. 97. 1865, p. 1059 ; and ' Journal of Hort.,' 



" 'Transact. Hort. Soc.,' vol. vi. p. 1866, p. 102. 

 394. ■*'- ' Correspondence of Linnaus,' 



SI Downin^'s 'Fruit Trees,' p. 502. 1821, pp. 7, 8, 70. 



'* 'Gardener's Chronicle,' 1862, p. ■'^ 'Transact. Hort. Soc.,' vol. i. p. 



1195. 103. 



*• ' Journal of Horticulture,' Feb. ■'■' Loudon's ' Gardener's Mag., 



5th, 1866, p. 102. 1826, vol. i. p. 471. 



■" Mr. Rivers, in ' Gardener's 



