314 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



have been the cause of great saving in the expense of heating, 

 which is a very serious item in the cost of peach-forcing. As a 

 matter of fact, the Alexander, without fire-heat, ripens at 

 a time when it is absolutely necessary to force peaches in 

 order to obtain them, that is, in the beginning of July. In the 

 catalogue of the Royal Horticultural Society for 1842 there are 

 of recognised varieties ripening in August, the Acton Scot, the 

 Early Anne, the White Magdalen, the Mignonne Petite, the 

 Red and White Nutmeg, and the Pourpree native. With the 

 exception of the last, none of these sorts are grown ; but in their 

 places we have the Early Grosse Mignonne, Dr. Hogg, Early 

 Victoria, Rivers' Early York, Early Albert, Early Silver, all 

 large and good peaches. Of the September and October peaches, 

 the difference is not so marked, as the recognised sorts are not 

 surpassed, and, when well grown, they are all that an amateur 

 of peaches can wish for in size, beauty, and flavour. The 

 smooth-skinned brother of the peach — the Nectarine — has also 

 undergone great changes, the Elruge and Violet te native of a 

 few years since being reinforced by many varieties from seed, 

 resulting in extending the period of ripening. 



The Stanwick nectarine, a variety sent some years since from 

 Syria by Mr. Barker, has been the principal factor in a change 

 which has caused a complete revolution in nectarines, a richer 

 and very distinct flavour being communicated by this stranger 

 from Syria. The Lord Napier is at present the earliest good 

 nectarine known, and has inherited largely the characteristic 

 flavour of one of its parents, the Stanwick, although its 

 mme diate progenitor was a peach. My father was one of the 

 earliest possessors of the " Stanwick " nectarine, and began ex- 

 periments by fertilising the " Elruge." From this he obtained the 

 " Victoria," and, following his example, I have carried on his ex- 

 periments with many other peaches and nectarines. In all cases 

 where fertilisation was complete, the result was apparent in the 

 dark green and sickle-shaped leaves ; the Lord Napier bears 

 distinct evidence of its parentage in the size and peculiar richness 

 of the fruit, and its vigorous foliage. 



There are two distinct types of nectarines, the orange fleshed 

 and the green fleshed, the former being, I think, the more 

 popular from the peculiar richness of flavour incidental to all 

 orange-fleshed nectarines, which, I may say here, is much in- 



