360 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October *1, 1886. 
As to late Peaches being a “ mistake," I must join issue with 
your experienced and accomplished correspondent Mr. Muir. 
Your correspondent seems to practise in a cold locality, or he 
would not class Barrington and Bellegarde amongst the late 
Peaches. It is stated that “ Barrington is ripe now,” which may 
be the end of September, so that the location of your correspon¬ 
dent must be a late one, but allowance must be made for Peaches; 
indeed, all outdoor fruit, and indoor for that matter, being late 
this season. The usual season of Barrington is the middle of 
September, and is preceded by Bellegarde, its season being from 
the beginning to the middle of that month. Your correspondent 
lias them in different order from this, which, I think, is a slip of the 
pen, and is only mentioned from its being likely to mislead 
planters in selecting varieties. The varieties he names are cer¬ 
tainly not sufficiently numerous for a supply of fruit from as 
early to as late a period as possible. If your correspondent only 
grows or recommends those named on pages 314 and 315, I fear 
there will be a blank between the early, midseason, and late 
varieties; in fact, Hale’s Early does not ripen outdoors before 
early August, or ten days to a fortnight before Early York, and 
Early Alfred's season is the same as Early York, if anything 
earlier. Bellegarde does not usually ripen until September, very 
often not until the middle, and is only ten days or so in advance 
of Barrington; in fact, I have had them ripe together. These 
dour Peaches in a season like the present continue the supply 
from early August to late September ; but in a good year I think 
these four varieties are not sufficient to an unbroken supply from 
the eaidiest to the latest period possible. To the quality of the 
varieties named I take no exception, only Hale's Early is not of 
the first size, nor Early Alfred either ; but Ihev have free fruiting 
and quality on their side, so that they are for private use at least 
unexceptional, and Bellegarde and Barrington are two of the 
best midseason Peaches. For a supply of Peaches on walls from 
as early to as late a period as possible, I think we cling far too 
much to the “follow my leader" doctrine. We do not experi¬ 
ment enough. We take for granted what others mark out for 
us, instead of marking out a pathway for ourselves. We plant 
too much and retain too much. Every grower should ascertain 
what sorts are most suited to his locality and then plant largely 
of the best— i.e., most profitable. This seems only proper, and 
appears to be what Mr. Muir has done, and I wish in no way to 
detract from the value of his communication nor in any respect 
to put forward my views, only so far as those of your correspon¬ 
dent seem to me inadequate and not calculated to make the most 
of the materials at our command. 
Of the early Peaches I think Waterloo must take first place. 
It is large and brilliant in colour. Alexander is also large and 
of brilliant colour. Then comes Hale’s Early and Early Alfred, 
also Rivers’ Early York. I really should not like to say which 
is the best of the three, but Early Alfred is the largest. Dagmar, 
however, is more handsome than any of the three last, is simply 
exquisite, and large. In a limited selection it must supplant the 
trio. Dr. Hogg is my next. It is large, handsome, a great 
cropper, and a capital traveller. Condor is a large Peach and 
brilliant colour. Then we come to Magdala, which only wants 
size. Grosse Mignonne, followed by Royal George (Stirling 
Ca«tle is a hardier variety of Royal George), Belle Bauce, 
Dymond, Violette Hative, Bellegarde, six kinds of the very first 
order, to excise one of which is only tod) injustice to the others. 
Then there is Noblesse, its hardier form Alexandra, and the 
finest of all the midseason varieties Goshawk. What is Mr. 
Muir going to make of those last named nine ? Of the light 
Peaches I have not given prominence to Early Rivers, Early Silver, 
and large Early Mignonne, all early, and as some like the pale 
Peaches, and there is no denying their rich racy flavour and some 
think charming appearance, they are mentioned so as to meet all 
tastes; besides, they sell well, especially with customer's that 
require quality. Crimson Ga'ande for colour is superb. It is of 
the Belle Bauce race, but hardier and a great bearer. These are 
all really good Peaches and have done excellently, but I do not 
recommend the light-skinned Peaches, they are more tender than 
the darker co’oured sorts and sooner spoiled by wet. Barrington 
must not be omitted. It is the last and best of the midseason 
varieties. 
My object, however, was to make some remarks on the late 
sorts, which are alluded to by Mr. Muir as a “ mistake,” although 
lie only names two—viz., Walburton Admirable and Salwey. 
Late Admirable is certainly one of our finest late Peaches and 
brought Is. each this season. Its size and high quality cause it to 
rank high as a late variety. Walburton Admirable is later, and 
by some thought hardier, but I do not think so, its great recom¬ 
mendation being a better shaped fruit, and it is clearly of a type 
that does not always ripen well outdoors. Salwey is certainly 
not worth space on a wall outdoors, so that your correspondent . 
has just cause for the heading of his pithy article on page 314 — 
viz., “ Very Late Peaches a Mistake.’ That they are a mistake 
against walls outdoors no one who has any experience will deny, 
for in nine cases out of ten they do not ripen satisfactorily, and 
the trees make so late a growth that the wood does not ripen 
and they are unhealthy. Your correspondent deserves the thanks 
of all gardeners for his outspoken remarks. In these days we 
cannot waste wall space with what cannot be other than proble¬ 
matical even in the best of atmospheric conditions; but the late 
Peaches have a value, I think, superior to the early varieties, 
especially in the new varieties that have been originated of late 
years. Size, colour, quality have made rapid progress, and how¬ 
ever much we may deprecate them as compared with the mid¬ 
season varieties, they are indeed great advances and well done 
very valuable. In fact, until the late Mr. Thos. Rivers took the 
Peaches and Nectarines in han l, we had very few Peaches that 
might be termed late. Beyond the two Admirables— i.e.. Late 
and Walburton, there were but Desse Tardive, Teton de Venus, 
and Yellow Admirable. Now we have some truly noble varieties. 
There is Princess of Wales, which comes in just before Desse 
Tardive, and is one of the most beautiful Peaches known. Lady 
Palmerston is even more handsome, and has a decidedly Nectarine 
flavour. Prince of Wales is very large and very good, though I 
could not get it last season from Mr. Rivers. It is very high 
coloured, very similar to Barrington. Lord Palmerston, very 
large and beautiful. It has a firm flesh, and so has Nectarine 
Peach, both of which are capital travellers. For quality none of 
the late Peaches, perhaps, equals Sea Eagle, and ripening about 
the same time is Osprey, closely followed by Golden Eagle of a 
beautiful lemon colour. Gladstone is of high colour, very good, 
and runs Sea Eagle hard for first place in point of quality. 
Cornet, yellow, with a flushed cheek, ripens before Salwey 
and is of the same order. 
Those are all splendid fruits. The question is, Are they to be 
recommended for outside culture ? I think with Mr. Muir that 
for such a purpose they are a “ mistake.” But to grow them under 
glass is another affair. They have no flavour—are poor and 
mealy—little better than chewing wood when they are done 
badly; but treat them well and then they are juicy and full of 
flavour. The fact is, they require to be under glass in heat, so 
as to ensure the blossom having a chance to develope and ensure 
a good set, also to ensure the safety of the embryo fruits. They 
also want heat in autumn so as to ensure a circulation of air and 
dispel damp. They want, in fact making safe against spring 
frosts and autumn frosts, damps, fogs, and cold. Our seasons 
are not long enough for them. Some have success with them by 
using lights in front of a coping in spring and autumn. The 
best examples are those where heat is given, and with Salwey 
Peaches can be had up to November. What makes them so poor 
very often under glass is want of proper supplies of nutriment 
when the fruit is swelling. I have had Nectarine Peach in pots 
quite woolly and flavourless, whilst the same sort planted out 
has been much praised for its quality, the only difference being 
that one had exposure during the growing season, the lights 
being taken off in summer. It would be a capital thing if we 
could give all our indoor fruits a drenching of water in hot 
weather direct from the clouds. The ammonia the rain brings 
down and soaks the earth with is manifest in the growth that 
follow thunder rain. It also cleanses the foliage, and is most 
beneficial. Besides, what need of lights in the dog days ? We 
want lights that can be withdrawn in little less time than it 
takes to roll up greenhouse blinds, and to be able to replace 
them in an equally short space of time. Late Peaches want to 
come on steadily and not be broiled in late June, July, and 
August. 
The lights of late Peach houses, especially when that takes 
the shape of a case against a wall, might just as well be off the 
trees as on from midsummer until the end of August, except in 
unexceptionally wet seasons, for the question is not to get heat, 
but rather to get openings large enough to prevent too great an 
accumulation of it. This would keep the fruit from advancing 
so rapidly and ripening at a time when not required. The quality 
is much improved by the steady progress, the substance of the 
fruit being built up of duly digested and concentrated matter, 
instead of constantly evaporating through the necessity of a 
current of air in order to keep down the temperature. Lights 
to husband the sun heat and a gentle warmth to ensure a circula¬ 
tion of air in autumn are simply esssntial to having late 
Teaches of good quality. It is also necessary to keep the wood 
thin and to keep well supplied with nutriment—watering with 
liquid manure and mulching as may be necessary according to 
the requirements of the trees, esp< cially when taking the last 
swelling. It is essential to the fruit ripeniDg perfectly and to 
the plumping of the buds. Treated in this way late Peaches, 
