FEBRUARY. 
17 
EARLY ALBERT PEACH 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
It is not often that in this country we have had to deal with new varieties 
of Peaches. Even those horticulturists who have devoted more than usual 
attention to the raising of new fruits, have not succeeded in producing many 
sorts of this fruit; and of those that have been produced there are not any, that 
we are aware of, that have displaced any of the older kinds, or which have 
taken rank with them. Successful as Mr. Knight was with Pears and Apples, 
we do not call to mind varieties of Peaches he succeeded in establishing, and 
it was not because he did not turn his attention in this direction. He made 
many attempts to produce what should be improvements on existing varieties ; 
but, with the exception of Acton Scot, an insignificant little early sort, and 
Mountaineer, a large, coarse, and worthless variety, we are not aware that he 
produced any others. The only other great originator of fruits was Mr. 
Williams, of Pitmaston, but we know of no Peach that can trace its origin to 
his skilful hand. 
How this should be we cannot say, seeing the success that has attended 
the essays of Mr. Rivers. To this subject that gentlemen has devoted much 
time, and has brought a large amount of intelligence to bear upon it; and it is 
perhaps to these reasons that his success is mainly attributable. So great has 
been the good fortune attending Mr. Rivers’s labours in this direction, that he 
has already produced varieties of Peaches sufficient in number, and in various 
characteristics and seasons, to be amply sufficient to supply every want, even if 
another Peach did not exist besides those that he himself has produced. We 
hope to be able from time to time to bring these various new kinds of Mr. Rivers 
before our readers, and in the meantime introduce them to one which, we 
believe, is one of the earliest of these productions.. 
The Early Albert Peach is of rather large size, roundish, and frequently 
higher on one side of the suture than the other, and with a dimpled apex. 
Skin greenish yellow, and covered with small red points on the shaded side, 
but deep crimson, becoming sometimes almost black, when grown against a wall 
and fully exposed. Flesh white, very tender, and melting, with a faint brick 
red tinge next the stone, from which it separates freely, and with an abundant, 
sugary, and vinous juice, which is very rich. It is a first-rate early Peach, ripen¬ 
ing in the beginning of August. 
THE CULTURE OF THE CINERARIA. 
During the autumn, winter, and spring there are few plants that add more 
to the gaiety and beauty of the conservatory than the many improved varieties 
of the Cineraria. They are also invaluable for in-door decoration ; the colours 
of some of the sorts are very brilliant by artificial light. That a plant pos¬ 
sessing such qualities should become very popular is only a mere matter of 
course, and hence the great improvement that has been effected in it of late 
years. The last year or two have, however, added but little in the way of 
improved varieties to those we already possessed. Let me express the hope 
that the coming season may be productive of some good sorts. 
In place of growing a number of named varieties, as was the custom a 
few years ago, many gardeners and amateurs now raise a quantity of plants 
annually from seed. They find their cultivation attended with much less trouble 
than growing plants from offsets of named sorts; they also find them generally 
yol. y. C 
