Notes on Peaches in the West in 1867. 341 



of rot, and the remainder of the crop ripened without serious damage. It 

 is one of the mysteries of peach-cuUure that a variety of such apparent 

 heakh as this, having globose glands, making strong tree-growth, and en- 

 during cold well, should be so subject to rot in its fruit. Two reasons 

 suggest themselves to my own mind : first, the smoothness of the skin, 

 which renders the fruit more liable to puncture by insects, which opens the 

 way to attacks of rot ; and, secondly, the soft and watery fibre of the fruit, 

 in which decay travels with greater rapidity than in the sorts of firmer and 

 dryer flesh. 



Early Tillotson. — This variety, in common with other varieties with ser- 

 rate leaves, is being discarded in the West, although an early and good 

 peach. It appears to succeed best in the stronger soils, on account, I sup- 

 pose, of its weaker vitality being better sustained. This year, its fruit was 

 very small, defective, and indifferent. » 



Troth's Early. — This variety came six days later than Hale's Early, and 

 is one of our most approved market sorts. It is very nearly or quite iden- 

 tical with Haines's Early and Cole's Early wherever I have seen those 

 varieties. It is very beautiful, very good, and remarkable for its uniform 

 fairness, and freedom from defects. The tree is very vigorous and healthy. 

 It is a little remarkable that this very excellent peach has not even yet 

 become generally distributed. Whilst very popular in New Jersey and in 

 " Egypt," there seems to be little account made of it in many peach- 

 growing localities. 



Large Early York. — This came seven days later than Troth's Early, 

 and is one of the finest of its class. Very good, or nearly best, in quality. 

 It is large, handsome, and has a vigorous and productive tree. It is a little 

 liable to defects from puncture ; its skin being rather smooth. 



Crawford's Early ripened very nearly as soon as Large Early York. 

 The yield was quite small, and the fruit not so generally fair nor large as 

 could be desired. It is a great pity that a peach so easily killed in the 

 bud, and so poor in quality, should, merely from its fine color and large 

 size, have attained such a wide-spread popularit}^ Equally hardy, much 

 better in quality, and almost as early, is 



Yellow Rareripe. — This variety was also much thinned out by the late 

 frost. Its deep red-and-orange color, large size, and well-rounded form, 



