202 



HORTICULTURE. 



Fruit 



our gardeners named ding-stones. The latter require 

 " more shelter and better seasons to bring them to per- 

 fection than the former. In countries possessing suffi- 

 cient climate, as in France and the warmer states of 

 North America, the pavies are preferred : in this coun- 

 try, the preference is generally given to the free- 

 stones, pavies being chiefly planted in forcing-house?, 

 where the climate can be made. 



87- Parkinson, in his Paradisus, enumerates twenty- 

 one kinds of peaches, several of which, particularly 

 the Old Newington, are still cultivated. Miller gives 

 a list of thirty-one, with their characters ; but as these 

 are taken only from the fruit, without any notice of the 

 bud, blossom, or leaf, they sometimes prove unsatisfac- 

 tory. The following are the names : 



1. White Nutmeg, Boudine, 



Red Nutmeg, Rossana, 



Early orsmall Mignone, Admirable, 

 Yellow Alberge, 20. Old Newington, 



5. White Magdalen, Rambouillet, 



Early Purple, Bellis (Belle de Vitry.) 



Large Mignone, Portugal, 



Belle Chevreuse, Teton de Venus, 



Red Magdalen, 25. Late Purple, 



10. Early Newington, Nivette, 



Montauban, Royal George, 



Malta, Persique, 



Noblesse, Monstrous Pavie, 



Chancellor, 30. Catherine, 



15. Bellegarde or Galande, Bloody Peach. 



Lisle, 



88. The characters of such of these as are chiefly 

 cultivated, and chiefly deserving of attention in this 

 country, may be mentioned. 



The While Magdalen, or Early Magdalen, is a round 

 fruit, of a middling size, with a deep furrow; of a 

 pale colour, and the flesh white to the stone ; melting, 

 juicy, with considerable flavour ; ripening in August ; 

 the tree sometimes succeeds on the open wall, even in 

 North Britain. 



The Red Magdalen, however, is altogether a supe- 

 rior fruit ; it is large, round, and of a fine red next the 

 sun ; the juice very sugary and of exquisite flavour ; 

 ripening in the end of August : the tree is a free grower 

 and great bearer : the blossoms are small. Nicol re- 

 commends the red magdalen as the " best peach we 

 have, either for the open air or the hot-house." In 

 doing so he is justified by the experience of Scottish 

 gardeners ; for the peach commonly known in Scot- 

 land by the name of red magdalen ripens well, in ordi- 

 nary years, even in the northern districts of the coun- 

 try. This we believe to be the same which goes by 

 that name in the south ; but we have reason to think 

 that the same name is applied, in some parts of Eng- 

 land, to another peach; for English horticulturists 

 sometimes complain that the red magdalen does not 

 succeed well. 



The Large Mignone is somewhat oblong in shape, 

 and generally swells out on one side ; the juice is very 

 sugary, and of high flavour : this, though a free-stone, 

 being rather a tender sort, is generally budded on a 

 peach or apricot stock. 



The Early Nenington or Smith's Newington (sup- 

 posed to be the pavte blanc of Duhamel) is a fruit of 

 middling size, of a fine red next the sun ; flesh firm, 

 with a sugary well-flavoured juice ; ripening the be- 

 ginning of September : a clingstone : the tree a good 

 bearer. 



5 



The Noblesse is a large fruit, red or marbled next the Fntit 

 sun ; flesh greenish-white and melting, very juicy, and, Garden, 

 against a good wall and in a favourable season, the juice ^~~f*"* 

 becomes rich and well-flavoured ; ripens in the begin- 

 ning of September ; and should be eaten sharp ripe, as 

 the gardeners term it, the fruit being apt to become 

 mealy if not taken just when it ripens. 



The Bowline, sometimes called the bourdine, is a 

 large round fruit, of a fine red next the sun ; the flesh 

 white, melting, juice vinous and rich ; ripens from the 

 beginning to the middle of September : the tree a 

 plentiful bearer, especially when old. In favourable 

 situations in the south of England it has sometimes 

 produced fruit on standards. 



The Old Newington, already mentioned, is a large 

 round fruit, of a beautiful red next the sun ; the flesh 

 white and melting ; when ripe, the juice very rich and 

 vinous ; a clingstone, and not ready before the begin- 

 ning of October. 



The Rambouillet, often called rumbullion, is a fruit 

 of middling size, deeply divided by a furrow ; the 

 flesh melting, of a bright yellow colour ; juice rich, 

 and of a vinous flavour : ripens about the middle of 

 September : the tree a good bearer. 



The Tcton de Venus is a fruit of middling size and 

 longish shape, of a pale red next the sun ; flesh melt- 

 ing, white; juice sugary, and not without flavour; 

 ripens the end of September : the tree is a free bearer, 

 on a warm light soil ; but the fruit comes to perfection 

 only in fine seasons. 



The Royal George is an excellent peach ; and in a 

 very good soil and aspect, the fruit becomes large, dark 

 red next the sun, juicy, and high flavoured. If the soil 

 and aspect be not favourable, the tree proves a shy 

 bearer. 



The Catherine is a large round fruit, of a dark red 

 next the sun ; the flesh white, melting, full of a rich, 

 juice; a clingstone ; ripens from the beginning to the 

 middle of October, against a good wall and in a fa- 

 vourable season ; the fruit, however, is improved by 

 lying two or three days before being used : it is some- 

 times called the October Peach. 



89. To the ample list of Miller, a few others might 

 be added. The Ann Peach, sometimes called the Early 

 Ann, is a small round fruit, of a yellowish white co- 

 lour, faintly tinged with red on the sunny side ; ripen- 

 ing about the middle of August. This is said to be of 

 English origin. The Royal Kensington is described by 

 Forsyth, and the tree is said to grow freely, and not to 

 be liable to blight. The Orange Peach is mentioned by 

 Nicol as the most elegant he was acquainted with, and 

 the best-flavoured of the cling-stones ; rather large 

 than otherwise, round, dark red or purple next the sun, 

 and bright orange on the other side ; the flesh of a deep 

 orange colour, but purple at the stone ; the tree a very 

 great bearer. It is possible this may be the Yellow 

 Alberge, the fourth in the tabular list above given. 

 The Double-flowering Peach is sometimes cultivated for 

 curiosity, on standards, being very ornamental while in 

 bloom ; the flowers being only semi-double, fruit is 

 generally produced, and in fine seasons abundantly ; 

 in most cases, however, it is fit only for preserves. 



90. That indefatigable and excellent horticulturist 

 Mr Knight, has produced several new peaches of the 

 most promising qualities, at his seat of Downton in 

 Herefordshire. After due precautions to bring his 

 trees (small ones planted in large pots) to the highest 

 state of health and vigour, he impregnated the pistil 

 of one with the pollen of another: only three peaclic- 



