1874. ] 
EIVERS’ EARLY LOUISE PEACH. 
85 
freely in tlie open and most exposed shrubberies—so freely as to make shoots five 
feet high in the season, strong, stiffly erect, and robust. And for a hedge, what 
a plant! Dense to a degree, and furnished with a base such as all Barberries 
have that are allowed sufflcient room, by the incessant division of short-jointed, 
thick shoots, which is its habit of growth,—added to which it has the habit of 
pushing young shoots from around its base. I do not hesitate to say that in 
poor, stony, light soil, or in dry soil, where, perhaps, the laurel would not do 
^fJQ\\,’Berhens Darwinii would succeed to perfection. 
A hedge formed with the Barberry, especially if moderately elevated at the 
ground-line above the ordinary level, as hedge-rows are, would display a golden 
sheen inconceivably beautiful, as the blooms were set off amidst its shining dark 
foliage, backed up by the dark background of the hedge centre. Of course such 
a hedge would be selected as a boundary-line only when supported by an outer 
aid, or for a division within protected grounds. I am not so certain, however, 
that its dense, extremely prickly leaves would hot prove a bitter enemy even to 
the harder mouths of cattle, nor do I think they would like its ’ peculiar, bitter 
flavour. Again, as a pot plant, to be grown in pots, freely shifted annually, 
plunged out of doors during summer, and brought gradually into bloom in the 
month of March, it is excellent. My plants bloomed freely in the open in 
December, and are again bud-laden en masse .— William Earley. 
EIVEKS’ EAELY LOUISE PEACH. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
iJUR readers will, we are sure, join with us in thanking the Rev. W. F. 
Radclyffe, of Okeford-Fitzpaine, for sending examples of this excellent 
early Peach for illustration in the Florist and Pomologist ; and no less 
hearty must be our thanks to Mr. Thomas Rivers, for having originated this 
and many other useful novelties, in so indispensable and favourite a class of hardy 
fruits. Our note of the examples submitted to ns reads thus:—^Fruit medium 
size, rather oblate, with a deep and rather broad suture, ending in a depression at 
the top of the fruit. Skin pale straw-yellow where shaded, mottled with crimson 
on the sunny side, the colouring thinly flushed with crimson dots, which extend, 
though more sparsely scattered, over most of the surface. Flesh whitish, without 
any tint of red near the free-stone, very tender and melting, with abundant juice, 
and a sweet and remarkably pleasant flavour. Good. 
Mr. Radclyffe remarks, in a note which accompanied the fruits :—I send 
two specimens of River’s Early Louise Peach. It is sweet, early, and delicious. 
They were grown on a severe East-aspect wall, where all perished after setting, 
except the Royal Georges, which are good on all walls, indoors and out. Early 
Louise has small flowers, and kidney-shaped glands. It is a long way earlier on 
a severe east-wall than any other early ones, such as Early York, Early Victoria, 
and Early Alfred are, on a warm south wall. I consider it a great ‘gain,’ and 
that it adds another gem to Mr. Rivers’ already radiant crown. They were ripe 
on August 1.” 
