496 I Assembly 



treuil, where peaches of a very superior quality are grown iij 

 large quantities, and have been for ages. Nearly all the inhabit- 

 ants are engaged in this business; from it they derive their 

 maintenance. There are no peaches raised in any other part of 

 France equal to those of Montreuil ; but in Italy they are far 

 superior. From the young leaves of the peach tree a delicious 

 Noyeau is made by keeping them in sweetened brandy ; from the 

 Nectarine a drink called nectar, and used by the gods, was made 

 in former times, and from the kernels prussic acid is developed 

 by combining them with water. 



The function of the woody tissue of the peach tree, physiolog- 

 ically speaking, is to support the numerous organs for respiration, 

 digestion, &c., containing the sustenance necessary to form por- 

 tions of the tree before communicating directly with the soil ; 

 this tissue is made up of long, thin, membranous, hollow globules 

 invisible to the naked eye and bundles of tubes more fine than 

 the hair of women — the most solid portions contain the largest 

 number of these; then there are concentric rings, which form 

 numerous hollow cylinders, one within the other, making a yearly 

 addition of a circular layer of new Vi'ood indicating the age of 

 the tree. If the tree is so located that one side obtains more 

 light and heat than the other, the favored side will show an in- 

 creased thickness of layers and more vigorous growtli, the leaves 

 will be richer and the branches more luxuriant. When the tree 

 is equally favored on all sides the limbs will be equal and the 

 layers will be the same tliickness all round. 



The best location for a peach orchtird is on a side hill with a 

 south or south-east exposure, sheltered from the north and west 

 winds. The climate of such a situation is always warmer than 

 any other and the sub soil is more apt to be dry. The best soil 

 is a rich calcareous loam, which should be always kept under 

 the plow, cultivated with some crop requiring constant hoeing, 

 and this ground cannot possibly be too rich. The yellows, in my 

 opinion, is caused mainly by starvation. The tree bears a luxu- 

 riant crop, to perfect which it requires constant enriching together 

 with excessive pruning. After the fruit is taken oft" the dirt im- 

 mediately surrounding the trunk must be removed and the peach 



