
          227

"The History of Virginia." By Robert Beverly. A native
and inhabitant of the place.  Reprinted from the author's second
revised edition, London, 1722.  J. W. Randolph. Richmond, Va.,
1855.

[The first edition appeared in London in 1765.]

This author devotes a chapter which appears to be pretty
full and accurate, to "Wild Fruits", but does not mention the
peach. pp. 102-116.

In Chapter XXII, p. 259, he treats of the "Natural Products
of Virginia, and the Advantages of Husbandry."  The
first paragraph of this chapter is devoted to fruits, and
concerning peaches. Mr. Beverly says:

"Peaches, nectarines and apricots, as well as plumbs and
cherries, grow there upon standard trees.  They commonly
bear in three years from the stone, and thrive so exceedingly
that they seem to have no need of grafting or inoculating, if
anybody would be so good a husband; and truly I never heard
of any that did graft either plumb, nectarine, peach or apricot
in that country, before the first edition of this book
[1705].

"Peaches and nectarines I believe to be spontaneous,
somewhere or other on that continent, for the Indians have,
        