PEACHES. 



197 



wliat firm before it attains to perfect maturity, but becomes then 

 very melting, and abounds in juice of a vinous, sweet, and 

 excellent taste, sometimes however it is a little bitter ; the stone 

 is proportionate to the size of the fruit, of a pretty regular 

 oval form, although a little narrower at its base than at its 

 point— it is eighteen lines in length, by an inch in diameter. 

 This peach, which is one of the most beautiful and one of the 

 best freestone varieties, ripens at the end of September. 



MONSTROUS POMPONNE. Pr. cat. 



Pavie de Pomponne. N. Duh. Jard. fruit. 



Pame rouge de Pomponne. O. Duh. 



Puvie monstreux, } t\ u 



„ . ' > Duh. syn. 



Pavi camu, ^ 



Gros Perseque rouge, 



Gros melecoton. 



Monstrous Pavie, Coxe. 



Monstrous Pavy of Pomponne. Royal Pavy. For. 



This tree is of very vigorous growth and appearance ; its 

 kaves are large, with small indentures. The flowers are 

 large, but do not open perfectly, the petals being much hol- 

 lowed or spoon-shaped. The fruit is round and terminated 

 by a large mamelon ; and it is not only one of the most beau- 

 tiful, but surpasses all other peaches in size. Duhamel men- 

 tions, that it is often fourteen inches in circumference, and it is 

 stated in the Jardin Fruitier, that it is frequently to be met 

 with in the vicinity of Paris, three and a half inches in diame- 

 ter, which work further adds, that, the climate there does not 

 admit of its attaining to that perfection which it acquires in 

 the south of France. The skin is velvety, white, approaching 

 to a greenish hue on the shade side, and of a fine red colour 

 next to the sun. The flesh is very firm, red beneath the skin 

 on the sunny side, and also around the stone, to both of which 

 it adheres ; elsewhere it is white, and at maturity becomes 

 sweet, musky, vinous, and of very pleasant flavour. In rainy 

 and cold seasons, and in climates too far north, it does not 

 perfect its fine quahties, and is often insipid, a warm and dry 

 autumn being required for it to attain to perfection. The 



