Peach-growing at Montreuil. 



189 



England, and I told him we could beat him in most things, but not 

 with the peach, and that he was indisputably the Emperor of 

 Peach-growers. Entering the garden, your eye for a moment rests 

 upon the perfectly-covered walls, but presently the famous Napo- 

 leon Peach presents itself. It is now in good health, but looks a 

 little weak about the central letters. It is, I need scarcely add, 

 beautifully trained, and a striking evidence of what may be done by 

 a good fruit grower — a variety of Adam's race much too rare at 

 present. But looking in another direction a specimen even more 

 striking than " the Napoleon" presents itself, and it takes the form 



Fig. S9- 



of the letters of the owner's name— LEPERE. It is against a 

 high and very white wall, and at a long distance the letters stand 

 out as clearly as possible, while, upon approaching the tree, the 

 abundance of fruit and regularity of good wood are equally satisfac- 

 tory. The letters complete, a shoot is taken from the top of each, 

 and these are united in a somewhat arching line above, and spread 

 out again into a great crown above the name, while on each side a 

 single tree springs up, and, forming a border for the letters, spreads 



