FRUITS. . CHAP 



placed rather in a sloping direction, in order to prevent 

 rains from pouring upon it and running down the wall. 

 When done with, these protecting materials might be 

 safely laid aside until the next year : here is a method, at 

 once little expensive, little troublesome, not at all 

 annoying to the trees, and perfectly effectual. As to the 

 thinning of the fruit, greater care is, if possible, necessary 

 here than in the case of the apricot. No single shoot 

 should, on any account, be suffered to bear more than 

 two peaches ; and, if it be not a strong shoot, not more 

 than one -, and this for the reasons amply given under 

 the head of apricot -, where I ought to have observed, 

 that it is not the producing of the pulp which requires 

 the great effort from the tree -, but the bringing of the 

 seed to perfection j so that, though you are to have the 

 same weight of peaches on a tree that should bear a 

 hundred as on a tree that should bear two hundred ; still 

 the effort required from the tree would be only half as 

 great in the former case as in the latter j because, in the 

 former, there would be only half the number of seeds. 

 The sorts of peaches are very numerous. I shall first 

 give the list cultivated in the king's gardens, and 

 then give my opinion, founded on experience. 

 Catherine, Incomparable, Old Newington, Royal Pavey, 

 Bears Early, Sourdine, Chancellor, Early purple, Early 

 Vineyard, French Mignonne, Gallande, Montagne, No* 

 blesse, Persique, Red Magdalen, Royal George, Teton de 

 Venus, Yellow Alberge. The list of peaches which I re- 

 commend are the Early Anne, not very fine but early, and 

 a constant bearer, the Double Montagne, the Early Mont' 

 aubon, the French Mignonne, the Grosse Mignonne, the 

 Royal George, the Noblesse, the Early Gallande, the Late 

 Gallande, the Vanguard, the Bellegarde, the Chancellor, 



