NECTARINES. 283 



from the extremity of one petal to that of the opposite 

 one. In this it^ is an inch and a quarter, and the 

 petals are imbricated at the base. 



There appears to me a great singularity in this acci- 

 dental change of character, and to some it may appear 

 incredible ; but I state it as a fact that has happened 

 under my own inspection, being perfectly satisfied that 

 it had never been observed previously by any other 

 person. 



There are other instances upon record where a fruit 

 has spontaneously changed its character ; but none so 

 decidedly as this, which has enlarged its blossoms, as 

 well as its fruit. Mr. Knight states, in the 2d Vol. of 

 the Hort. Trans, p. 160., that he has a tree of the 

 White Magnum Bonum plum forty years old, which 

 last year produced on one of its branches red fruit, per- 

 fectly like the Red Magnum Bonum ; but this change 

 was not pennanent. He had also a May Duke Cherry, 

 which some years ago, on one of its branches, had con- 

 stantly oblong fruit, ripened later, and were of greater 

 weight than those on the other part of the tree. These, 

 with many other instances of spontaneous production, 

 which might be enumerated, lead me to conclude that 

 we may possibly have other varieties, both of plants and 

 fruits, which have not originated from the seed. 



3. HUNT'S SMALL TAWNY. Nursery Catalogue. 



Hunt's Early Tawny. G. Lindl. in Hori. Trans. 

 Vol. v. p. 542. 



Leaves doubly serrated, without glands. Flowers 

 small, deep rose colour. Fruit rather Jarger than that 

 of the Fairchild's, about five inches in circumference, 

 somewhat ovate, a little compressed on one side of the 

 suture, and a little fuller on the other, with a prominent 

 apex. Skin pale orange on the shaded side ; but when 

 exposed to the sun, shaded with deep red, intermixed 

 with numerous russetty specks. Flesh deep orange. 



