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NECTARINE. AMYGDALUS, NUCIPERSICA. 



Natural order, Pomacea. A genus of the Icosandria Mo- 

 nogynia class. 



" Blushing like youthful cheeks : the nectarine full 

 Of lavish juice." 



THIS fruit is thought to have derived its name from the 

 Nectar of the heathen gods. Matthiolus and Caesalpi- 

 nus call it Nucipersica, because it resembles the smooth- 

 ness of the outer skin of the walnut. 



It is a native of Persia, and was brought into this 

 country with the peach, about the year 1524. It does 

 not appear at that time to have been distinguished by any 

 name distinct from other peaches, of which it is a species, 

 as Gerard was living when it was first obtained, and pub- 

 lished his History of Plants about thirty-five years later, 

 wherein he describes four kinds of peaches, and says, 

 " they are set and planted in gardens and vineyards : I 

 have them all in my garden," continues he, " with many 

 other sorts," which shews there was a variety when first 

 introduced. He mentions one kind of peach which ap- 

 pears to have been the Nectarine, Persica rubra. " The 

 fruit or peaches," says Gerard, " of this sort, be round, of 

 a red colour on the outside : the meat likewise about the 

 stone is of a gallant red colour. These kinds of peaches 

 are very like to wine in taste, and therefore marvellous 

 pleasant." 



Pliny says, of all the peaches, the one most admired 



