160 



THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



the bunches averaged from 4 to 5 lbs. each. In fact, they looked much more 

 like Barbarossa bunches than Muscat Hamburghs, but were unquestionably the 

 last-named kind. Mr. Thomson stated that he had grafted this kind on the Black 

 Hamburgh ; and if these large bunches be the result of grafting, as it appears 

 to be, it will induce me to adopt and recommend the plan to all my friends. 



W. D. 



THE VICTORIA NECTARINE. 



WITH AN ILLUSTRATION". 



The origin of this distinct and fine variety is as follows: — In 1857, Mr. 

 Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, observing that several varieties raised from the 

 Stanwick Nectarine deviated but slightly from the parent sort, adhering to it 

 with singular tenacity in their habits, and above all not ripening to any extent 

 earlier, determined when the blossoming time again came round to try cross- 

 breeding. Accordingly, in the spring of 1858, he fertilised some flowers of 

 the Violette Hative Nectarine with the pollen of the Stanwick. The fruit 

 which these fertilised flowers gave were carefully selected, and their stones, 

 six in number, sown. In 1859 the young trees made their appearance, were 

 potted and carefully cultivated. In 1860 two or three of them developed 

 to a certain extent the character of the Stanwick in their sickle-shaped leaves. 

 Unfortunately, from the pots standing in an orchard-house not being properly 

 protected, four of the young trees had their roots killed by the frost of that 

 severe winter. 



Of the two left, one in its leaves had the Stanwick character ; the other 

 did not differ in that respect from its female parent, the Violette Hative, which 

 it still retains, and it has borne fruit exactly like it. In 1861 the former bore 

 its first crop of fruit, three of which were submitted to the Fruit Com- 

 mittee at their meeting, September 10th, of that year. From the report of 

 that Meeting, as given in the Journal of Horticulture of September 17th, we 

 now quote an extract : — " Mr. Rivers' greatest triumph is the production of a 

 seedling Nectarine which has all the merits of the Stanwick, and none of its 

 defects. It was raised from the Violette Hative impregnated by the Stanwick. 

 The fruit has all the appearance and richness of flavour of its male parent, but 

 with the deep strain of red in the flesh where it surrounds the stone, like the 

 female. It is a month earlier than the Stanwick, and a fortnight later than 

 the Violette Hative. Perhaps the most remarkable feature in the whole is, 

 that the fruit being altogether that of the Stanwick, the kernel is bitter, 

 showing how very divided the cross has been." It was named by the Com- 

 mittee the Victoria Nectarine, and was awarded a First-class Certificate. 



We have only to add that by a clerical error its flowers have been described 

 as large, like those of the Stanwick ; whereas they are small, and exactly like 

 those of the Violette Hative Nectarine, and in our present plate the artist 

 has fallen into the same error. In size it is large, having been grown in 

 pots in the past season 9 inches in circumference. In shape it is more flat- 

 tened than the Stanwick, and its colour when exposed to the sun nearly as 

 deep a red as that of the Violette Hative. Its season may be reckoned from 

 the 10th to the 20th of September, varying in accordance with soil, position, 

 and season. Seedlings have been raised from it which are likely to bear next 

 season, so that after a very long period of a sort of stagnation in our varieties 

 of Nectarines, the Elruge and Violette Hative, our two favourite varieties, having 

 been in cultivation upwards of a century, we are likely to have a new race, 

 more rich and saccharine in their flavour than the above-mentioned sorts. 



