12 PEACH CULTURE. 



A. nana. — ^Dwarf Almond. Leaves oblong-linear, 



tapered at the base ; calyx cylindrically bell-shaped ; 



' fruit, as in A. communis, but smaller ; a low shrub. A 



native of Northern Asia, sometimes cultivated in gardens 



for its double and white flowered varieties. 



A. orientalis — Leaves lanceolate, nearly entire, and 

 with the small branches silvery-downy. A large shrub ; 

 a native of the Levant. 



A. Cochinchinensis. — Leaves, ovate, entire, shiny; 

 flowers, white. A large tree ; a native of Cochin China. 



Of the first species, the Peach of the English; the 

 P&che of the French; the Pesca of the Italians; the 

 Persigo of the Spaniards ; the Persego of the Portuguese, 

 and the Pfirsich of the Germans, there are generally reck- 

 oned two varieties — ^the Peach proper, with downy fruit, 

 and the ITeotarine, with smooth fruit. There is abundant 

 evidence that the latter is a. mere accidental production 

 of the former. The general characteristics are identical, 

 while the difierence is but slight, and consists principally 

 in the presence or absence of the pubescence on the skin. 

 The JVectarine, both in tree and fruit, is not so vigorous, 

 hardy, or durable as the peach ; it is more easily affected 

 by disease, and the attacks of insects ; siieds its fruit more 

 easily, and oftener fails to produce a crop. 



The Peach is a tree of medium size, with a spreading 

 head ; long, narrow, lanceolate, and serrate leaves, which 

 are of a deep green color, until late in the fall, when 

 they assume a brown or yellow tinge; flowers, pink and 

 rose-colored, profuse, and fragrant; fruit, rich, juicy, vinous 

 and melting, when highly cultivated, but often small, 

 hard, and bitter, when neglected. For size, quality, 

 productiveness, and value, it may be regarded as the 

 queen of stone fruits. 



The size of the tree varies very much, owing to the dif- 

 ference in soil, climate, and cultivation. In the cold re- 



