1883.] 
THE HUMBOLDT NECTARINE. 
105 
To what size this elegant variety may ulti¬ 
mately attain we do not know, for the plant 
was imported in a very weak condition, and 
was for some time a mere nursling. It is, 
no doubt, bipinnate, like the type, but the 
most developed fronds we have seen were 
about 10 to 12 Jnches in height, and triter- 
nate in development—that is to say, the 
stalked apical portion has produced two side 
pinna?, and the two lateral branches (pinnae) 
have each produced a terminal and two lateral 
sessile lobes or pinnules; in each case all 
three of the lobes end in a flat spreading tuft 
of hluntish divaricate segments. The veins 
are free as in the type, and usually about 
twice forked. 
According to the observations of Mr. Maries 
this plant very rarely produces fertile fronds 
in Japan : he had never met with it in a 
fertile state. Messrs. Yeitch’s specimen, how- 
ever, produced one, under Mr. Schneider’s 
management, and a crop of corymbiferous 
seedlings has been the result. The fertile 
frond now before us has a bare stalk of about 
3 inches long, and a bipinnate head of fertile 
divisions, measuring about -f inch in both 
directions, the segments being multifidly 
divided—a perfect miniature bipinnate frond, 
with multifidly divided pinnules, which had 
been covered with spore-cases. 
As a distinct crested hardy Fern this 
Osmunda must be admitted to the first rank. 
The illustration, for which we are indebted to 
Messrs. Yeitch & Sons, gives a good idea of 
its general character. It has already won 
First-class Certificates at the exhibitions both 
of the Royal Horticultural and Royal Botanic 
Societies, and met with well-deserved admira¬ 
tion on all hands.—T. Moore. 
THE HUMBOLDT NECTARINE. 
[Plate 590.] 
N the early part of September last, Mr. W. 
Miller, of Combe Abbey Gardens, wrote 
—“ I am very pleased with the doings 
of a little Humboldt Nectarine tree on 
an outdoor wall here,” at the same time en¬ 
closing the remarks printed at p. 147 of our 
last volume. Subsequently, on September 
25, when ripe, Mr. Miller kindly sent samples 
of the fruit, from which our drawing and the 
following description were made :— 
Glands of the leaves reniform. Fruit full 
medium size, about 6^- inches in circumfer¬ 
ence, nearly round, the side indented with a 
shallow suture, and the apex having a very 
small indistinct point. Skin rich Indian yel¬ 
low in the shade, becoming dark dull crimson 
where exposed, and deepening to a blackish- 
purple where most so, the surface freckled 
over with pale dots, but most conspicuously 
so about the apex where the dots are larger. 
Flesh deep orange yellow, parting freely from 
the stone, close to which it is slightly tinged 
with red, juicy and tender, so as to be quite 
melting, and with a rich and pleasant flavour. 
The variety, which is described as having 
been raised from the Pine-apple Nectarine, 
bears large flowers. We add the following 
remarks, with which we have been favoured by 
Mr. Miller 
The figure of the Humboldt Nectaiine I 
consider a very excellent representation. 
From further experience I can substantiate 
everything I wrote in its praise in the 
Pomologist (p. 147, 1882). It blossomed 
freely this spring, and luckily I had placed 
before it three or four sash-lights, leaning 
against the wall. These protected the trees 
from frost, and of course facilitated the 
setting. The ends were closed only by a bit 
of tiffany, which could easily be moved aside 
once or twice a day w r hen the tree was 
syringed with clear water, and sometimes 
with tobacco water, which kept the foliage 
healthy and clear of aphis. 
The tree is now free of glass, in perfect, and 
I should also say in robust health. It is 
carrying sixty very fine promising fruits, 
which wfill come on as a valuable succession 
to those in our fourth house ; some of these 
fruits now measure 4f inches in circum¬ 
ference, i. e ., measured the reverse of from 
base to apex. 
Of the Lord Napier Nectarine we have two 
trees on the same wall, treated exactly in the 
same way as the Humboldt, and I am pleased 
to be able to give an equally favourable 
account of them. This is, I think, one of the 
grandest Nectarines ever sent out. In our 
early house we have had both this year and 
last some extraordinarily large and fine fruit. 
This Nectarine is truly the gardener’s friend. 
As an out-door Nectarine I will this year be 
able to test it, and let you have my experience. 
[Please do.] 
