NECTARINES. 307 



of the number of varieties of these fruits since the time 

 when these authors wrote, their distinctions would pro- 

 bahly have been sufficient ; but the great influx of new 

 kinds demands a more systematic and extensive division. 



Mr. ROBERTSON* has gone much further into this 

 subject than either MILLER or DUHAMEL, and has 

 favoured us with the first synoptical distribution of 

 Peaches and Nectarines which I have met with. It is 

 simple and perfectly clear, as far as it goes ; but it is 

 defective in general application : for if he had attempted 

 by it to make an arrangement of all the different sorts, 

 he would have found the eight subdivisions of his table 

 insufficient. Mr. ROBERTSON'S two classes, founded 

 on the leaves, are correct only so far as regards the first, 

 or those sorts whose leaves are without glands. The 

 second, comprehending the glandular-leaved kinds, 

 require to be extended to a third ; for it includes 

 plants with two distinct natural characters dependent on 

 the glands. His divisions into those with large and 

 those with small sized flowers are also objectionable, 

 since our collections furnish several varieties of Peaches 

 and Nectarines which possess a middle character. The 

 designating the large blossoms as light-coloured, and 

 the small ones as deep-coloured, cannot be admitted as 

 proper distinctions ; several of the small flowers being 

 quite as pale as the large ones. The character of Mr. 

 ROBERTSON'S subdivisions, founded on the adhesion of 

 the flesh to, or the parting from, the stone, are perfectly 

 natural. 



The Editor of the Bon Jardinier, and the Count 

 LELIEUR in his Pomone Frangaise, have given a classi- 

 fication on a much more comprehensive scale, intro- 

 ducing a third division of flowers ; and they take notice 

 also, for the first time, I believe, of two different cha- 



* See Horticultural Transactions, vol. iii. p. 380. 

 x 2 



