20 TREATISE ON FRUIT TREES. 



The skin is delicate and easily separates from the flesh. It's a very deep red even 

 in places where sunlight doesn't strike it at all, & it's covered with very fine tan down. 



The flesh is delicate and succulent. It's white except underneath the skin & around 

 the pit where it's very red. 



The juice is plentiful and wine-like, sometimes a little tart, especially in cold 

 regions. 



The pit is of average size & very red. 



When comparing this description with the preceding one, it's easy to see why I 

 haven't included this purple peach with other peaches of that name. I'm not in any way 

 depriving it of its well known name which indicates its color. But I've listed it alongside 

 the large Mignonne because it's a variety of it that differs very little. It's easy to tell it 

 apart by the color of its skin & flesh & the time that it ripens. 



XVI. PEACH TREE with small flowers and very beautiful dark red round fruit. 



BOURDIN. BOURDINE [Translator's note: named by Louis XIV for his gardener]. 

 NARBONNE.^/.X//.) 



This is a large & vigorous peach tree. It sets fruit easily. Sometimes it gets too 

 heavy with it; in that case the fruit doesn't grow very big if care hasn't been taken to cut 

 back part of it. It succeeds very well in the open where it produces smaller but earlier and 

 more delicious fruit than that on espalier. 



The leaves are very large, smooth, & a beautiful green. 



The flowers are small and flesh-colored edged with carmine. 



The fruit is almost round with a diameter a little greater than its length. Usually 

 it's a bit smaller than the large Mignonne. It's divided by a very wide & quite deep groove 

 that often has a lip along one edge that's higher than the other edge. The side opposite the 

 groove is flattened or recessed; 



