254 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
CULTIVATION OF FRUIT.—No. VIII. 
THE PEACH AND NECTARINE. 
The peach is usually cultivated by planting- the stone 
in autumn, at a depth of about two inches; a small part 
of them grow the succeeding spring, and the remainder 
the year following. Cracking the stones before planting 
insures their growth the first season; but it is best in this 
case to expose them to the action of frost, during winter, 
mixed with sand or earth, and to defer the planting till 
spring. Probably their vegetation, in ordinary cases, 
would be accelerated if they were mixed with earth in a 
box, and during winter, successively subjected to the al¬ 
ternate action of freezing and thawing, by which the 
stones would be opened. If the soil be fertile, so that 
their growth is vigorous, they may be budded the same 
season; but if not, the operation must be deferred till the 
second. One and two years growth of the bud will ren¬ 
der them large enough to transplant into the orchard. 
The most suitable soil for the peach is a rich sandy 
loam; a light soil is generally preferred, but this is not 
indispensible, provided the ground be properly prepared. 
We have known this tree to succeed admirably on heavy 
soils, when very large holes were dug (6 or 8 feet diam¬ 
eter,) and filled with loose fertile soil. Peach trees, 
when transplanted, should not be large; a small thrifty 
tree, well set out, will in consequence of its rapid growth, 
pj-oduce sooner a large tree, than a larger tree, whose 
size has prevented the work being so well performed. 
For further directions, see a former number of this series 
qn transplanting and general culture. 
It is very commonly supposed that varieties of the 
peach may be continued without change, merely by 
planting the seed; hence many neglect their propagation 
by budding. The least improved varieties doubtless vary 
least; the common Indian peach, for instance, appears to 
continue nearly the same through many successive ages, 
though many sub-varieties of this exist. But the finest 
Varieties, being farthest removed from the wild or natu 
ral state, are most liable to variation, and the original is 
consequently very rarely produced from seed. The nice 
shades of difference, however, which distinguish differ¬ 
ent varieties, are frequently entirely overlooked, and the 
error that the same sort is obtained from seed is thus 
confirmed. 
To obtain good varieties with any degree of certainty, 
budding must be resorted to. Grafting rarely succeeds, 
and never unless performed with unusual care on such 
kinds as have the firmest wood. For particular direc 
tions on budding the peach, the reader is referred to the 
second number of this series of articles, published last 
winter. 
When the great difference between good and bad vari¬ 
eties is remembered, the importance of obtaining the 
test, must be obvious. The reputation of some which 
are truly excellent, has been greatly injured by the nu¬ 
merous errors in names which have been introduced 
Not only are the names of fine varieties attached by mis¬ 
take to worthless fruit, but good varieties are increased 
merely by planting the stones, and the original name 
given to them, which is still continued through success¬ 
ive plantings, though wide departures from the original 
are thus generally produced. 
This confusion and misapplication of names, and con¬ 
sequent perplexity to the cultivator, have induced the at¬ 
tempt to arrange the varieties and distinctive characters, 
so that this inconvenience may be removed. The peach 
presents facilities for this purpose, not existing in other 
fruits. The following, which is generally adopted as the 
best, is from LiniUey. Peaches and nectarines, (which 
may be considered as one and the same fruit, the latter 
having smooth skins,) are separated into 3 general classes, 
each of which has three divisions; these are each sepa¬ 
rated into two sub-divisions, and every sub-division 
into two sections; consisting in all of 36 sections. Only 
a part of these sections contain varieties with which we 
are acquainted, and are only to be filled up as new ones 
are discovered with characters adapted to them. 
Class I, comprehends those whose leaves are deeply 
and doubly serrated (or cut like sawteeth,) and having no 
glands on the serratures. Fig. 80. 
Class II, contains those whose leaves are crenate or 
Fig. 81. Fig. 81. Fig. 82. 
serrulate (or with smaller and more rounded teeth,) and 
having globose glands. Fig. 81. 
Class III, includes all those whose leaves are crenate 
or serrulate, having reniform (or kidney-shaped) glands. 
Fig. 82. 
“ The form of the glands,” as Lindley very justly ob¬ 
serves, “as well as their position, is perfectly distinct; 
they are fully developed in the month of May, and they 
continue to the last, permanent in their character, and are 
not affected by cultivation. The globose glands are situ¬ 
ated, one, two, or more on the footstalks, and one, two, 
or more on the tips or points of the serratures of the 
leaves. The reniform glands grow also on the footstalks 
of the leaves, but those on the leaves are placed within 
the serratures , connecting, as it were, the upper and lo w¬ 
er teeth of the serratures together; their leaves, when 
taken from a branch of a vigorous growth, have more 
glands than the leaves of the globose varieties. It will, 
however, sometimes happen that glands are not discern¬ 
ible on some of the leaves, especially on those produced 
on weak branches; in this case, other branches must be 
sought, for which to produce them.” They are represen¬ 
ted as rather larger and more distinct in the accompany¬ 
ing figures, than usually occur in a state of nature. 
These classes, thus formed, are each divided into three 
divisions. 
Div. I, embraces those which produce large flowers. 
Div. II, includes those which produce flowers of me¬ 
dium size. 
Div. Ill, contains those which produce small flowers. 
These divisions are not so distinctly marked as the 
classes; the middle and small flowers only differing by 
the former being larger in all their parts. 
The sub-divisions, two in number, are determined by 
the fruit. The first comprehends true peaches , or those 
which have a downy skin; the second includes necta¬ 
rines, or those which have a smooth skin, similar to that 
of the plum. 
Each of these sub-divisions are again divided into two 
sections; the former including the pavies or clingstones; 
the latter the melters or freestones.* For note see p. 255. 
The following synoptical table will exhibit these di¬ 
visions and sub-divisions as applied to the first class. 
( Sec. 1. 
Sub. 1. \ Pavies. 
Peaches, j Sec. 2. 
( Melters. 
f Sec. 1. 
Sub. 2. I Pavies. 
Nectarines. ] Sec. 2. 
(Melteis. 
{ Sec. 1. 
1 Pavies. 
) Sec. 2. 
( Melters. 
f Sec. 1. 
j Pavies. 
) Sec. 2. 
I Melters. 
f Sec. 1. 
Pavies. 
< Sec. 2. 
I Melters. 
l' Sec. 1. 
> Pavies. 
) Sec. 2. 
^ Melters, 
CLASS i. 
Leaves deeply 
and doubly ser¬ 
rated, without 
glands. 
Div. 1. 
Large flowers. 
Div. 2, 
Middle 
flowers. 
Div. 3. 
Small flowers. 
Sub. 1. 
Peaches. 
Sub. 2. 
Nectarines. 
Sub. 1. 
Peaches. 
Sub. 2. 
Nectarines. 
