24 THE PEACHES OF NEW YORK 



Such an one grows in the exposed region of Paendish. In Jasqulam, a 

 snlall rough-skinned, red peach with astringent flesh and musky aroma- 

 flourishes^ Roshan, the district of Barpaendsha, and Surshan on the lower 

 Hund, produce later ripening and less valuable varieties, than the territory 

 of the lower Paendish." 



Another quotation shows the intensity of the orcharding in some parts 

 of this favored land of fruits. In his chapter on the Zarafshan Valley, 

 Schuyler says: ^ 



" The gardens constitute the beauty of all this land. The long rows 

 of poplar and elm trees, the vineyards, the dark foliage of the pomegranate 

 over the walls, transport one at once to the plains of Lombardy or of 

 Southern France. In the early spring the outskirts of the city, and indeed 

 the whole valley, are one mass of white and pink, with the bloom of almond 

 and peach, of cherry and apple, of apricot and plum, which perfume the air 

 for miles around. These gardens are the favourite dwelling-places in the 

 summer, and well may they be. Nowhere are fruits more abundant, and 

 of some varieties it can be said that nowhere are they better. The apricots 

 and nectarines I think it would be impossible to surpass anywhere. These 

 ripen in June, and from that time until winter fruit and melons are never 

 lacking. Peaches, though smaller in size, are better in flavotor than the 

 best of England, but they are far surpassed by those of Delaware. The 

 big blue plums of Bukhara are celebrated through the whole of Asia. The 

 cherries are mostly small and sour. The best apples come either from 

 Khiva, or from Suzak, to the north of Turkestan, but the small white 

 pears of Tashkent are excellent in their way. The quince, as with us, is 

 cultivated only for jams or marmalades, or for flavoiuing soup." 



West-central Asia, " the cradle of races," is, as well, the cradle of 

 fruits and vegetables and he who would know more of its orchards, gardens 

 and vineyards should read Schuyler's Turkestan and Lansdell's Russian 

 Central Asia. We have quoted from the first-named book and now close 

 the discussion of peaches in Asia by a few brief quotations from Lans- 

 dell, taking a few from many to bring out points worth noting. We 

 usually think of flat peaches as belonging to southeastern Asia, yet Lans- 

 dell found them in west-central Asia: ^ " Here we bought our first ripe 

 grapes and nectarines. Apricots ripen at *Kuldja at the beginning of July, 

 and we were, therefore, too late for them, but of late peaches, that ripen 

 early in August, we came in for the last, flat in form, about an inch and 

 a half in diameter and half an inch in thickness. They tasted fairly well, 

 but there was little flesh on the stone." 



1 Schuyler, Eugene Turkestan 1:296, 297. 1876. 



^ Lansdell, Henry Russian Central Asia i :223. 1885. 



