234 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



pears as a largo tract of very low land, the surface of which 

 is more than twelve feet under the level of the waters of the 

 Amstel or the Zuyder-Zee. It is, of course, protected by 

 a strong dike, and two large mills are continually draining 

 it. In the rich alluvial soil of this artificial valley, culinary 

 vegetables in general are successfully cultivated. Many 

 kitchen-gardeners have established themselves here ; and 

 these have procured a separate green-market in Amsterdam 

 to be set apart for their use. 



Fruit-Market, fyc. 



In the forenoon we inspected the fruit-market, and the 

 shops and stalls where fruit was displayed. The supply is 

 inferior to what we should have expected in such a city, and 

 at the time of the fair. Peaches were pretty common, par- 

 ticularly the variety called the Mountain Peach : this is a 

 fine melting fruit, and though here regarded as the same with 

 the French Montague, we are inclined to consider it as dif- 

 ferent, and of superior quality. A small variety of necta- 

 rine, of an intense purple colour, appeared in some shops : 

 it isr here called the Black Nectarine, and we believe is 

 held in esteem. Both these fruits may deserve the future 

 attention of the Society. Orange apricots were pretty com- 

 mon, but not good. Of plums, besides the green-gage, we 

 saw only some of the most common yellow kinds. A few bas- 

 kets of mulberries close the list of the finer fruits. Of early 

 pears there was a considerable show : the large Cuisse-Ma- 

 dame (which seems identical with our Jargonelle) was going 

 out of season, but still it was among the best on the stalls. 

 The Fig-pear, which we had seen at Haarlem nurseries, was 

 now brought to market : it is a large fruit, and, when ripe, 

 j^ said to be of excellent flavour ; but it keeps only a very 

 short time. Apples were plentiful, but in general far from 



