amyl] 



€i)£ ftreatfurg at Matzny. 



56 



extend on one side towards the west, and 

 on the other, by Cabul, towards the North 

 of India. In support of the supposition of 

 a Chinese origin, it may be added that the 

 Peach-tree was introduced from China into 

 Cochin-China, and that the Japanese call it 

 by the Chinese name, Too. In the Japanese 

 encyclopedia it is stated to be a tree 

 from western countries, which applies to 

 China with regard to Japan, or rather to 

 the interior of 'China relatively to its 

 eastern coast ; the statement having been 

 taken from a Chinese author. The Peach 

 is mentioned in the books of Confucius, 

 5th century before the Christian era; and 

 the antiquity of the knowledge of the fruit 

 in China is further proved by the represen- 

 tations of it in sculpture and on porcelain. 

 The above are some of the arguments ad- 

 duced by De Candolle against the com- 

 monly-received opinion that the Peach 

 originated in Persia : for the full investi- 

 gation of the subject, we must refer the 

 reader to his Geographie Botanique, accord- 

 ing to which excellent authority the con- 

 clusion is that China is the native country 

 of this esteemed fruit. That it is there 

 cultivated extensively, and to great per- 

 fection, is certain. The Flat Peach of 

 China was introduced into this country 

 more than thirty years ago. It is figured 

 in the Transactions of the Horticultural 

 Society (iv. 512, t. 19) ; and, more recently, 

 a very large variety was brought from 

 Shangbae by Mr. Fortune, which has the 

 usual form exhibited by those cultivated 

 in Europe. 



In the South of France, and in other 

 Continental countries possessing a similar 

 climate, Peach-trees ripen their fruit very- 

 well as standards in the open air; but at 

 Paris they require a wall ; and, with this 

 assistance, they also succeed very well 

 in the southern parts of England, but in 

 the northern the aid of fire-heat, and 

 the protection of glass, are necessary. In 

 America, the Peach grows almost without 

 any care — extensive orchards, containing 

 from 10,000 to 20,000 trees, being reared 

 from the stones. At first the trees there 

 make rapid and healthy growth, and in a 

 few years bear in great abundance; but 

 they soon decay, their Jeaves becoming 

 tinged with yellow, even in summer, when 

 they should be green. This is owing to 

 their being grown on their own roots ; for 

 when that is the case in this country, the 

 trees present a similar appearance. They 

 require, therefore, to be budded on the 

 plum or on the almond. Some doubts have 

 been entertained as to whether the Peach 

 is not the same species as the Almond. 

 They appear, however, to maintain their 

 respective characters sufficiently distinct, 

 unless artificially or by accident they are 

 crossed with each other. The possibility 

 of this being effected was successfully tried 

 by Mr. Knight; and the circumstance of 

 their crossing readily proves their close 

 affinity. He fertilised an almond blossom 

 with pollen from a Peach blossom. Ad al- 

 mond was the result ; but from its kernel 

 be raised a tree which bore peaches of fait 



size and round form, with succulent melt- 

 ing flesh, of tolerably good quality, better, 

 indeed, than some seedlings of the Peach 

 itself. 



The varieties of Peaches and Nectarines 

 are very numerous, and would be difficult 

 to distinguish, were it not for a classifica- 

 tion formed from certain, characters af- 

 forded by the fruit, leaves, and flowers. 

 In some varieties the fruit has firm flesh, 

 adhering to the stone ; such are termed 

 clingstones. Others have melting flesh, 

 parting readily from the stone ; these are 

 called melters or freestones. The leaves 

 are either glandless, or are furnished with 

 globose, or with reniform glands at their 

 bases. And in some the flowers are large, 

 in others small. Formerly the Peaches and 

 Nectarines, known in Europe, had all 

 bitter kernels ; but sweet-kernelled varie- 

 ties have of late y^ars been introduced 

 from Syria. The following are some of the 

 best varieties of Peaches : Noblesse, Royal 

 George, Acton Scot, Grosse Mignonne, 

 Bellegarde, Late Admirable, andWalburton 

 Admirable. Of Nectarines, the yiolette 

 Hative, Pitmaston Orange, Downton, El- 

 ruge, Imperatrice, and Balgowan are 

 amongst the most esteemed sorts. [R.T.] 



AMYLACEOUS GRANULES. Grains of 

 starch. 



AMYLIDE2E. Cells in algals, secreting 

 starch. 



AMYLUM. Starch ; that organised 

 granular matter erf plants which iodine 

 stains violet or blue. 



AMYLOID. A substance analogous to 

 starch, but becoming yellow in water 

 after having been coloured blue by iodine. 



AMYRIDACE.3E. {Terebintacece, Burse- 

 racece, Amyrids.) With the appearance of 

 oranges, and sometimes with the dotted 

 leaves of that order, these plants differ in 

 their fruit, forming a shell whose husk 

 eventually splits into valve-like segments. 

 In general, moreover, the petals have a 

 valvate aestivation. The genera collected 

 under this name are by no means perfectly 

 known, and demand a scrupulous revision. 

 The tropics of India, Africa, and America 

 exclusively produce the species. Their re- 

 sinous juice is of great importance, form- 

 ing an ingredient in frankincense and 

 other preparations demanding a fragrant 

 combustible matter. See Amyris, Bur- 

 sera, BOSWELLIA, BALSAMODEXDROX, 



Icica, and Caxarium. 



AMYRIS. A genus of trees belonging 

 to the order Amyridacece, known by their 

 unequally pinnate leaves, and by then- 

 solitary ovary, which contains two pen- 

 dulous ovules. The plants are natives of 

 tropical America and India, and are re-- 

 markable for yielding resinous products. 

 It is supposed that the resin called Elena 

 is produced from some species of Amyris, 

 such as A. hexandraand A. Plumieri, though 

 there is much doubt, not only as to the 

 plant or plants producing the drug, but 



