FOLIAGE BEGONIAS. 
157 
187G. ] 
should be kept thin, and not allowed to run wild ; thin and stop the shoots just 
above the blossoms, and when a sufficient quantity of fruit is set keep all young growth 
pinched off. Keep Cucumbers well thinned and stopped, airing and watering 
them attentively; and should the weather continue cold at night, the linings had 
better be renewed. Those plants that have been some time in bearing should 
be thinned and the old leaves cut away, and then a little leaf-mould or rotten 
manure should be spread over the old shoots.— John Powell, Frogmore. 
CHOICE EARLY PEACHES. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
OTH the varieties of Peach represented in the accompanying plate belong 
to the early section, and are of a highly meritorious character. Hale’s 
Early (fig. 1) is undoubtedly the best early Peach in cultivation, ripen- 
f ^ ing on the open wall some days before the Early York, or Acton Scot. 
The fruit is also of larger size, and finer in quality than any other early Peach. 
It may be described as of medium size, roundish, with a deep suture on the side. 
The skin is of a dark crimson colour on the exposed side, with a thick coating of 
down, shading off to a greenish-yellow streaked with red; when grown under 
glass the colours are much brighter and clearer. The flesh is of a dull greenish- 
yellow, very tender, melting, juicy, and'richly flavoured, and parts freely from 
the stone. The flowers are large, and the leaves have round glands. This 
fine Peach comes to us from America. It has been now for several years 
in cultivation in this country, so that its high merits are becoming pretty well 
known. It is especially recommended by Mr. Pearson and others. In con¬ 
stitution, it is as free and vigorous as the Bellegarde, and like that variety, a cer¬ 
tain cropper.- The fruit from which our illustration is taken is somewhat below 
size, and was grown on a small cordon tree, on the open wall in the Royal 
Horticultural Gardens, Chiswick. 
Early Victoria (fig. 2) is another fine early Peach, a day or so earlier 
than the Early York. It is exceedingly well adapted for cultivation under glass, 
and comes then with the beautiful glowing colours represented in our illustration. 
For wall culture, it is somewhat tender. • The fruit is rather below medium size, 
roundish, skin very thin, bright red on the exposed side, pale greenish-white 
with small red streaks in the shade. The flesh is yellowish-white, very juicyj 
tender, and melting, with a.rich flavour. The flowers are large ; leaves without 
glands. This fine Peach was one of the first of the seedlings raised by Mr. Rivers 
from the Early York, and was named in honour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The 
specimens figured were grown and forwarded by the Rev. W. F. Radclyffe.—A. F. B. 
FOLIAGE BEGONIAS. 
EING easy to cultivate, these, like other plants that have been “ lions of 
the day,” have somewhat fallen into disrepute. But their beautiful leaf- 
^ markings and easy propagation render them very suitable for decorative 
purposes during the summer months, when foliage plants are more freely 
