ROSE FAMILY. 113 



smooth, the fleshy and succulent pulp adherent or separable from the 



rugosely furrowed nut. Small trees. Leaves lanceolate, serrate, condu- 



plicate in vernation. Flowers subsessile, solitary or in pairs, preceding 



the leaves. 



1. P. VULGAR'IS, Mill. Fruit densely tomentbse. 



COMMON PERSICA. Peach. Peach-tree. 



Fr. Le Pecher. Germ. Der Pfirschenbaum. Span. El Melocoton. 



Stem 8-12 or 15 feet high, branching. Leaves 3-5 inches long ; petioles half an inch 

 long, channeled above and glandular near the leaf. Petals pale red or purplish. Drupe 

 with the flesh white, yellow or reddish, either adhering to the nut, and then called Cling- 

 stone, or separable from it when it is termed Freestone. 



Cultivated. Native of Persia. Fl. April. Fr. Aug. - Sept. 



Obs. The fruit of this tree, like most of those which have had the 

 advantage of long and careful culture, presents numerous varieties, 

 the best of which have been perpetuated under distinctive names by the 

 nurserymen ; such as " George the 4th," " Morris White," &c. These 

 kinds, the number of which is rather formidable, will be found described 

 in standard works upon Horticulture, and in fruit growers' Catalogues. 

 Although the tree is short-lived, its culture is managed with great spirit 

 and success in the Middle States, particularly in Maryland, Delaware, 

 and New Jersey ; and latterly, with the facilities afforded by steamers, 

 our northern cities are supplied, early in the season, from as far south 

 as Georgia. The most approved varieties are perpetuated by raising 

 young stocks from the seeds, and inserting upon them the buds or scions 

 of the desirable kinds. * 



This process, for changing the character of seedling trees, is alluded 

 to by the great English Bard with his usual felicity : 



" You see, we marry 



A gentler scion to the wildest stock, 



And make conceive a bark of baser kind, 



By bud of nobler race : This is an art 



Which does mend nature change it rather ; but 



The art itself is nature." Winter's Tale, Act. 4. 



Var. LJS'VIS. Fruit smooth. 

 Nectarine. 



The Nectarine, which was formerly considered as a distinct species, 

 is now regarded as only a very marked variety of the Peach, from which 

 it differs only in its smooth fruit, which presents the same varieties of 

 ding-stone and free-stone. Cases are recorded, in which the same tree has 

 produced both Peaches and Nectarines. 



The Almond (Amygdalus communis, L., which is nearly related to 

 the Peach except that the drupe is dry and fibrous, instead of succu- 

 lent, and the seed is the eatable portion) , has not yet, I believe, been 

 much cultivated' within the U. States : but it may probably be success- 

 fully introduced into Florida, and perhaps some other southern States, it 

 having succeeded even in Pennsylvania. 



A dwarf variety, with the flowers all double and sterile, is well known 



