17 



we may conclude that within them is its most favour- 

 able habitat. 



It endures our usual winters uninjured, and even 

 succeeds as a standard in latitudes of N. America 

 where the winters are much colder, and the summers 

 hotter than with us. This is in conformity with 

 the well-ascertained fact, that all deciduous trees 

 suffer less from severe frost in winter, if their wood is 

 perfectly matured by sufficiently warm summers, 

 than where the frosts are less severe, but the summers 

 also more temperate. Hence in the north of Eng- 

 land young peaches are often injured by degrees of 

 cold that do not affect others of similar age when 

 exposed to them near London. 



"Where the mean temperature of the summer months 

 is above 70 degs., or that of the warmest month 

 above 75 degs., as at Rome and at New York, the 

 melting varieties of this fruit are not so richly succu- 

 lent as when grown against south walls in the more 

 temperate summers of London and Paris. But, on 

 the other hand, the firm-fleshed or clingstone varie- 

 ties are preferred in America, though but little es- 

 teemed in England. 



The peach is usually considered a short-lived tree, 

 but we have no record of the age it is known to attain 

 in its native state. When judiciously cultivated in 

 England, it will continue vigorous and fruitful at the 

 age of forty years. 



c 



