PEACHES. 331 



suture that is rather higher on one side than the other. Skin, re- 

 markably tender, pale straw-coloured on the shaded side, and somewhat 

 mottled with bright crimson on the side next the sun. Flesh, white, 

 with the jelly-like transparency of that of a pine- apple, perfectly 

 melting, richly flavoured and vinous, having an exquisite briskness 

 that excites the salivary glands, and cleaning instead of clogging the 

 palate. Flowers, large. Leaves, with round glands. 



This delicious peach ripens early in August. It was raised by Mr. Rivers from 

 the seed of Hunt's Tawny Nectarine, and was named in honour of H.R.H. the 

 Duke of Edinburgh, 



EAELY ANNE {Anne). — Fruit, medium sized, round. Skin, white, 

 with very httle colour, being merely tinged and dotted with red next 

 the sun. Suture, shallow. Flesh, white, even to the stone, pleasant, 

 but rather inclined to be pasty, its eaxliness being its chief merit. 

 Flowers, large. Leaves, without glands. 



Eipens early in August. 



For many years the Early Anne was the earliest of all peaches, and that on 

 which the old gardeners relied for their earliest forcing. It is now far excelled by 

 Early Beatrice, Early Louise, Early Rivers, and others of the same family ; and 

 now, after a reputation of more than a century and a half, it will, in all probability, 

 go out of cultivation. 



It is first described by Switzer in 1724, and figured by Batty Langley in 1729. 

 Switzer says, " It is not so caUed on account of Queen Anne, as is, by mistake, 

 supposed ; but in complement to the (at that time) celebrated Mrs. Ain Dunch, 

 of Pusey, in Berkshire, where it was raised," 



EAELY ASCOT. — Fruit, medium sized, roundish, and somewhat 

 depressed, marked with a shallow suture, which is deepest towards the 

 stalk. Skin, almost entirely covered with red, which is bright on the 

 shaded side, and almost black, like the BeUegarde, on that exposed to 

 the sun ; on the shaded side a patch of the yeUow ground colour is 

 visible, and is strewed with crimson dots. Flesh, yellowish, very 

 tender, juicy, and melting, with a rich vinous flavour, and a sKght 

 tinge of red at the stone, from which it separates freely. Flowers, 

 small. Leaves, with round glands. 



An excellent peach. Eipe in the second week of August. 



This was raised by Mr. Standish, of Ascot, in 1866, from seed of the Elruge 

 Nectarine. 



EAELY BEATEICE. — Fruit, medium sized, two inches and a half 

 in diameter ; round, a little pointed at the apex, and marked on one 

 side with a distinct suture. Skin, with a yellowish ground, but 

 almost covered with blotches of bright red, and altogether very highly 

 coloured. Flesh, melting and juicy, richly flavoured, and adhering 

 slightly by some of its fibres to the stone, which is white. Flowers, 

 large. Leaves, with kidney-shaped glands. 



This is the earUest peach known, and ripens in an orchard-house 

 from the 4th to the 8th of July, and against a wall in the open air 

 about a fortnight later. It is not so highly flavoured as Early Louise. 



The merit of having raised this remarkable peach is due to Mr. Rivers. It 

 originated from seed of Rivers' White Nectarine, and the tree first fruited in 1865, 

 when it ripened on the 4th of July. It was named in honour ot I1.R.H. the 

 Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. 



