PEACH. 277 



From this account, and finding it in the list of fruits, 

 published in the year 1557, by Thomas Tusser, who men- 

 tions peaches, white and red, there can be little doubt but 

 that it was introduced as early as the reign of Henry the 

 Eighth. We are decidedly of opinion that it was 

 brought into England, from Italy, by Wolf, the king's 

 gardener, in the year 1524, as at this time we find that 

 he brought the apricot from the latter country. 



Of this deliciously melting fruit we have now a great 

 variety, from the small nutmeg peach, which ripens in 

 July, to the large October peach, which is more agree- 

 able to the sight than to the palate. This fruit has been 

 almost equally multiplied in its varieties with the apple, 

 by sowing the stones, and lately by the ingenious method 

 of impregnating the blossoms. T. A. Knight, Esq. Presi- 

 dent of the Horticultural Society, has procured a new 

 peach by this operation : he impregnated the pistillum of 

 the blossom on an almond-tree, with the pollen of the 

 peach-flower ; and this almond, when planted, produced 

 a peach-tree instead of one of its own kind, and has since 

 ripened peaches. 



The peach varies so much in quality, that many sorts 

 are not worth the growing: it is therefore to be hoped 

 that we shall soon have them exploded, and the better 

 varieties cultivated in situations most congenial to their 

 tender nature. At Montreuil, a village near Paris, the 

 whole population is exclusively employed in the cul- 

 tivation of peaches, which has maintained the inha- 

 bitants for several ages; and the consequence is, that 

 they raise better peaches there than any other part of 

 France affords. 



We have often observed, that the finest-flavoured 

 peaches have been gathered from trees of the greatest 

 age ; and we -have met with many instances of these trees 

 bearing amply when they have been from forty to sixty 



