THE PEACHES OF NEW YORK 37 



a kernell like vinto the Almond ; the meate about the stone is of a white color. 

 The root is tough and yellowish. 



"2. The red Peach tree is likewise a tree of no great bignesse; it 

 also sendeth forth divers botighes or branches which be very brittle. The 

 leaves be long, and nicked in the edges hke to the precedent. The fioures 

 be also like unto the former; the fruit or Peaches be round, and of a red 

 colour on the outside; the meate likewise about the stone is of a gallant 

 red colour. These kindes of Peaches are very like to wine in taste, and 

 therefore marvellous pleasant. 



" 3. Persica praecocia, or the d'avant Peach tree is like unto the 

 former, but his leaves are greater and larger. The fruit or Peaches be of 

 a russet colour on the one side, and on the other side next unto the Sim of 

 a red colour, but much greater than the red Peach: the stones whereof 

 are like unto the former: the pulpe or meate within is of a golden yellow 

 colour, and of a pleasant taste. 



" 4. Persica liitea, or the j^ellow Peach tree is like unto the former in 

 leaves and flours, his fruit is of a yellow color on the out side, and likewise 

 on the in side, harder than the rest : in the middle of the Peach is a wooddy 

 hard and rough stone full of crests and gutters, in which doth ly a kernel 

 much like to that of the almond, and with such a like skin: the substance 

 within is white, and of taste somewhat bitter. The fruit hereof is of 

 greatest pleasure, and of best taste of all the other of his kinde; although 

 there be found at this day divers other sorts that are of very good taste, 

 not remembered of the ancient, or set down by the later Writers, whereof 

 to speake particularly would not bee great to our pretended purpose, con- 

 sidering wee hasten to an end. 



"5. There is also kept in some of our choice gardens a kind of Peach 

 which hath a very double and beautifull floure, but it is seldom succeeded 

 by any fruit: they call this Persica flore plena, The double blossomed 

 Peach." 



In the first edition Gerarde describes but four peaches, but Johnson, 

 36 years later, says " there are divers sorts besides the foure here set forth 

 by our Author " and then names thirteen " choice ones, such as are to be 

 had from my friend Miller in Old-street," who " hath also " six varieties 

 " of that kinde of Peach which some call Nucipersia or Nectorins." Either 

 Gerarde neglects the peach or varieties increased greatly in 36 years — 

 probably the former. We have not found the nectarine mentioned before 

 Johnson's revision of Gerarde in 1633 and probably this frait was not well 

 known in England long before, for Parkinson, discussing them in 1629, 

 says " they have been with us not many years." This brings us to Parkin- 

 son's list of peaches, which contains, as Johnson says, a " f tiller discourse." 



