Nile's . . , IK'. A «■ ■*■■:■ .t: '^-- ^••1- 'i- . w ■ Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924067905772 R. SMITH & CO., Nurserymen & Seed Merchants, "W- o K. O EST E JEb. M these KtrssBsixs 12 Acbbb are devoted eztdnsiTely to the onltiTation of BoBK Tbssb, 50 AcBxs to Oomifbbb, EnBa&BBNS, and ObhaubntaIi Ssbubb, so Acbbb to Fbuit Tbees alone, and a pioportionally large space to eaoli other di-rision of XSbxwul and OaviMiaxTili Sbsttbi, Fobebt Tbsib, &e., reqniting 32 Milbs of Walsb for the oonvenienee of attending to the Stock, md Two-and- ra.lt Acbss of Olabb to rear the jronng Plants. ORCHARD HOUSE TREES OF ALL KINDS IN POTS. DesciriptiTe Idsts to be had (Gratis) on Application. Wa.Tza., OaPdezLi and. Flo-wer Seeds. Sutoh Sno-wer Koots. SVait Trees. Boses. Sjvergreeus and Conifers. Stovei G^eenbousea and Sedding Plants, ECerbaoeoua and .AJpine FlazitB, and Hardy T'ems. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 054 701 481 ADVEETISEMBNTS. BOULTON AND PAUL, HORTICULTURAL BUILDERS, NORWICH. Orchard Houses, Peach. Houses. Protectors for Trees on "Walls, all kinds of Horticultural Buildings and Heating Apparatus erected in any part of the kingdom. Bef erences in every County. Catalogues a/ad Descriptive Lists free on ctppUcaUon, "WALL B^KXJIT TREK FROTKCTORS. Our Fiotectors for Wall Fruit Tree.are supported on iron brackets, Becured to the wall by bolts. The ligrhts slide in grooves foimed in the brackets, and are held firmly in position by a clamp; the lights are of a uniform length of 6ft. each, by 2ft. and 2ft. 6in. projection when in position. The lights can be removed in a few minutes from a long length when desired, as no bolts or screws are used to secure them. This is often a great advantage during a shower, as the rain saves syringing, which at the beat cannot be done BO well or efficiently by aitiflcisl means. Our prices include, the lights which are iiin. thick and made of selected red deal, fflazedwitn Sloz. English sheet glass, also brackets, bolts, &c.i for fixing, all painted Uuree times of best oil-colour, and also rods and hooks for scrim canvas or tiffony^or protecting the trees from frost (bat does not Include the screens). Length, IE ft. 18 „ 18, Width. £ s. d. Length. Width. 2 ft 110 12 S. Ztt.6in.... 210 _. 8 6 4 2 6 „ 119 „ SIS 6 10 7 6 8 Onr Improved Wall Coping is made to project the width stated. Length. 12 S. . 18,. . 21.. . 54. eo , £B. d. 116 211 S IS 6 413 5 IS 6 IS 7 13 8 13 913 The goods are all carriage paid to any railway station in England, also to Dublin and Belfast, on orders amomiting to 40s. and upwards. When ordering give the thickness of the wall where the brackets are to be fixed. Packing cases are charged, and half-price allowed for if they are returned in good order, carriage paid to onr works, within fourteen iuja of deUTery of goods, Ejndly give reference with Otiib order if unknown to us. @$p fuxi ani fHftluvm Introduction. We olaas these two fruits together inasmuch as — culturally, constitu- tionally, botanicaUy — ^they may be said to be one. The chief, almost the only differences between them, are those of flavour and finish of epidermis or outer skin. Fond as botanists have been and are of nice distinctions, the presence or absence of woolliness on the rinds of fruit and subtleties of flavouring are rather too uncertain and inconstant foundations on which to erect specific distinctions. The peach and nectarine are among the most valuable members of the ligneous species of the great natural order Uosaceos, which, with the apple, pear, plum, cherry, apricot, have been erected into the more modem order DrupaceoB. The almond differs little from the peach and nectarine, excepting in the thickness of the fleshy envelope that surrounds the stone, and the sweetness, bitterness, or size of - its internal kernels. The leaves of the peach and nectarine are also generally somewhat larger than the almond. Both are included in the genera Aimygdalms, and their generic characters are almost the same; the nut of the almond being generally covered with a dry skin, that of the peach and nectarine with a soft pulp. This distinction does not, however, always hold good, as occasionally part or the whole of individual almonds, have their, stones inclosed in a fleshy envelope, mostly bitter, but. occasionally almost as sweet as inferior varieties of peaches — ^iu fact, the- peach-almond seems a sort of intermediate or cross between the peach and the almond, or an almond on the road of evolution into a peach. Still, it. makes but little progress, and seems to have halted through all the yeara. 172 THE PEACH AND NECTAEINE. it has been tnown to cultivators at about the same half way hoase, between almond-hood and peach-hood. All this may prove useful as well as interesting to those readers — daily increasing in number, we trust — who may be disposed to plant the peach and nectarine in their shrubberies and pleasure grounds as omrtnental trees. For ornamental purposes they may be held to be almost as h^rdy and as nsefnl as the almond (Arm/gdalm comimmAs), and its several varieties, among which the double flowering and common dwarf almond are the most useful for planting in groups or single specimens in shrubberies, lawns, home plantations, &c. In warm situations such almonds as the common sweet, soft shelled, sweet pistachio, and others often ripen capital crops of almonds. In such cases the planter has the enjoyment of one of the most charming of all the trees of the spring, and grows his own almonds into the bargain. In specially warm and sheltered places some of the hardier peaches and nectarines may also yield a crop of fruit. But though this may be rare and can occur only in special localities and under specially favourable circumstances, yet the peach — and especially its double and larger flowering varieties — is well worth planting for its flowers alone. Such early flowering and beautiful trees were not likely to escape the notice of ancient writers. Hence we find the almond^tree named by Moses, and its precocity in flowering seemed to be accepted as a sign of -the future devotion of the tribe of Levi for the priesthood. Virgil also accepts the free flowering of the almond as at once proof and omen of a fruitful season. The merry month of May must have been more genial in his day than in these degenerate times, when May makes a ravenous cold snap or collation of myriads of peach and almond blossoms. All before the merry month is cheerful, fair, and beautiful — all behind a blighted, blackened wilderness of barrenness and sterility. Still, it must be said for Virgil that he wrote of standard almond trees, which did not rush into bloom so early as our peaches and nectarines forced back against hot 'alls, there to be half roasted with the fiery heats of spring sunshine, and frozen through immediately afterwards with the cold darts of May night frosts, without a veil of cloud to tone down the energy of intense radiation. However, it is hardly fair to merry May to credit her with all our fruit failures, and with blighting the beauty of our standard or dwarf almond and peach trees, for these flower through February and March in warm localities, and also in April. It is this earliness and profusion of blooming -that have endeared these plants to man in aU ages, and some types :and forms of peaches and almonds have probably been cultivated- by him :for his pleasure and use since the dawn of civilisation. It is, however. \ INTKODUCTION. 173 doubtful whether the Fersioa of some ancient writers is really the modem peaoh. But there can he no doubt that some species of almond or peach were well known to the Greeks. It is a beautiful legend that links its early flowering to the fervour of a woman's love, and that woman the beautiful Thracian, Queen Phyllis. The story is that Bemophoon, son of Thegeus, when oast on the coast of Thrace, was hospitably received by FhilUs. In return he wooed and won her heart and throne. Becalled to Athens by the death of his father, he promised to return in a month. Detained by cruel fates, which ever mar the course of true love, the lovely queen pined and mourned his absence, until she died broken hearted on the sea shore, over which she had wistfully looked and longed for the return of her husband. Transformed by the pity of the gods into an almond tree, her husband returned in winter, and, learning all that had happened during -his absence, rushed to the tree and embraced it with such fervour that the dead Phyllis felt and returned his love by bursting there and then into blossom, though the boughs seemed dead and bare — a sweet legend iihat may tempt some readers to plant their almonds, peaches, and nectarines in plenty this winter. The Chinese, to whom the peach has been known from time immemorial, connect it with the tree of life — those that ate of the fruit of the peach were to live for ever. Another tradition places the tree on some high mountain guarded by demons. Moore, in one of his sweetest verses, makes the almond tree the emblem of hope : The hope in dreams of a happy hour That alights on misery's brow. Springs faith like the silver almond tree. That blooms on a leafless bough. Exactly so. After a long and dreary winter, a time of bare boughs and dead leaves, what more cheering or inspiring than a sudden outburst of beauty from peach, nectarine, or almonds P Growing these trees mostly for profit, one is apt to lose sight of and underrate their highly ornamental qualities. The profit need be none the less though we first of all feast our eyes and refresh our hearts with delicate colours, perfect forms, and n. prodigal profusion of their beautiful flowers, which are second to none among the entire range of flowering trees and shrubs. In favourable situations on light loamy soils the peach and almond do well as standards, grow rapidly, and reach a stature of from 15ft. to 25ft., and as much as 30ft. high. The habit of the tree is generally somewhat ragged ; but' this arises largely from the total neglect of training, and also not unfrequently from the overcrowding of other trees. The trees, too, in many localities are rather short lived. This also often arises from neglect. But were it otherwise, they are B 2 174 THE PEACH AND NECTARIlfE. not expensive to purchase, speedily grow into beauty, and are therefore readily renewed by planting fresh ones, so that there is Uttle difficulty in filling our shrubberies and home woods with the showy blossoms of these trees early ia the season. The leaves are also unique among plants, and their peculiar form and shades of verdure add to the richness and variety of shrub or tree scenery, whether deciduous or evergreen. The native country of the peaoh and nectarine, and the date of their introduction to this country, are not generally known. The peach is generally thought to be a native of Persia, and the nectarine is but a variety of the same species, as is proved by their identiiy of structure in all main points, by the fact that peaches and nectarines are found to grow on the same branch, that fruits have come one half peach and one half nectarine ; and that peaches have been raised from nectarine seed, and nectarines from peaoh kernels. The nectarine, however, has seldom or never been found wild, though the peach abounds in a wild state on the Himalayas at an elevation of about SOOOft. The nectarine is also found rather plentifully in gardens in Northern India. It was supposed to have been introduced into Italy in the reign of the Smperor Claudius, and to have come from Persia. It is probable that the Bomans brought the peach and the nectarine with them when they took and held possession of Britain. But if so, these, like many other good gifts of the conquerors, were probably swept away and lost in the wave of barbarism and amid the din of civil and social strife that overflowed England after the retirement of the Imperial power. It ia known to have been in cultivation in this country towards the middle of the 16th century, and! has long been in general cultivation against walls, under glass, and here and there as a standard tree. It is also in common cultivation as aa orchard tree throughout the warmer parts of Europe and the oooleir jiortions of Asia and Africa. It is found plentifully in Chma and Japan. It is following the footsteps, or rather has been carried by our colonists, into all new countries with a climate suitable for its cultivation ; and large peach orchards are found in America, Australia, a;nd New Zealand. Peaches in these countries are grown in orchards in very large quantities, so much so, indeed, as to form food for pigs. But the chief use of the peach in England, and in most European countries, is that of eating for dessert. For this purpose pea,ches and nectarines are most highly prized, and justly so. For richness of appearance, lusciousness of flavour, and wholesomeness they stand unrivalled. Green peaches are also used for tarts. For this purpose they should . be chosen before the stones harden, in exactly the same state as walnuts are used for pickling, that is, when a knife passes easily fhxoTigh the 'stones. Some persons are very fond of green peach tarts, INTRODUCTION. 175 but they should be eaten in moderation, as they are strongly impregnated with prussic acid, one of the deadliest poisons. In this state they also make a unique flavoured jam, and a few of those young fruit or green leaves put into gin or other spirits give them the flavour of noyeau. The ripe fruit are also often preserved in halves, or whole, in boiled syrup for dessert. Peaches and nectarines form a delicious sweet treated thus, and those used for such purposes should not be too ripe. Peaches may likewise be preserved in gin or brandy like MoreUo cherries ; though treated thus they are rather a strong and heady sweet, to be eaten with caution, lest the luseiousness of the peach betray the eater into an excess of spirit. Bipe peaches are also used for pies and compdtes, but the softness and juciness of the flesh are rather against them for such uses, as they need to be rather unripe and to have careful handling. Of course the copious saccharine juice of the peach speedily undergoes fermentation, and peach brandy has long been known as one of its products. Peaches have also fattening properties of no mean order, and although it does seem «, degradation of a noble fruit almost to write it, pigs do remarkably well on them. It seems a pity, howevei!, to connect peaches with pork, while the teeming population of our large towns yet hardly know the sight nor flavour of luscious peaches nor nectarines. Attempts have been made to dry the peach and compress it, as plums are, into preserves. Hitherto those attempts have been almost baffled through the excess of juice in the fruit. The same difficulties have prevented peaches from being converted into jellies or jams to any great extent. Attempts have, however, been made, we believe, both in Australia and Hew Zealand to prepare preserved peaches for export to England. It. is hoped that these attempts wiU ultimately prove successful, so that those who cannot grow their own peaches may yet have the opportunity, of eating those grown at our Antipodes or from the large peach orchards of America. The extreme perishability of the fruit at present prevents its distant transport in a natural state. But, preserved in spirits or in sugar, and packed in air-tight tins or jars, there seems no reason why peaches could not travel round the world, and be sold at paying prices to the producer and low rates to the consumer; for few trees are more prolific, and produce crops with greater certainty and at legs cost than the peach, where the climate is favourable and where it can be grown as a standard in fields or gardens. 176 IDE PEACH AND NECTAEINE. Varieties. The varieties of the peaoh are necessarily numerous, inasmuch as the common mode of cultivating peaches in congenial climes is to sow the stones merely, and allow them to bring forth fruit in due season. But these wilding peaches can hardly be considered as within the pale of British cultivation. Peach space here is too valuable; in fact, garden space is too limited and dear everywhere to be furnished by seedlings, for the peach does not reproduce itself true from seeds. Hence when good varieties have been obtained they have been perpetuated by the usual means, budding or grafting, and so little truth is there in the theory of the wearing out of species or varieties for that matter, that it seems probable that some of the peaches cultivated by the Italians when Borne was mistress of the world may still survive among us. Be that as it may, it is certain that within the horticultural historic periods of our own country we have not lost n. good variety of peach or nectarine. Until within the present generation we went on growing the old peaches and nectarines of our forefathers, and were perfectly satisfied with them. More marvellous still, most of these old sorts still hold their own as among the finest varieties. From the fact that both Columella and Fliny caution their readers against the deleterious quality of the peach, it may have been that those early peaches were probably only enlarged or swollen almonds. These are the first European writers who name the peach. Coming to our own country, we find Turner mentioning peaches, red and white, in 1673 ; perhaps the Noblesse and the Eoyal George. Coming down half a century later, Parkinson enumerates twenty-one varieties of peach, among which are the great and small white, the yellow, the red russet and carnation, the black, cherry almond, and nutmeg. Clearly we have made little advance in colour since then; he also names the Newington and Boman. Bay, sixty years later, enumerates sixteen sorts, among which are the red and white nutmeg, the two Newingtons, early and old; the scarlet (royal, and parent to the Royal George) Bloody Monsieur. Miller, over a century since, in 1750, enumerates thirty-one, the whole of which probably exist at the present day. It is almost like reading a modem nursery catalogue to go through Miller's descriptions of the two nutmegs, red and white, both ripening early in July, proving at once that July peaches are not the novelties that many suppose, and that our much-abused climate is not deteriorating so fast and far as has been too hastily assumed. The early Mignon (we adopt VARIETIES. 17? Miller's spelling thtongHoat this list) also ripening in the end of July or early in Angnst; the white Magdalene, the large French Mignon (Grosse Mignonne), Bed Magdalene, the early and old Nenington, both ding stones, that is, peaches of which the flesh adheres closely to the stones, now justly gone almost out of cnltivation, but still largely grown in France under the name of Favies ; the Portugal, the Moun- tain Farie ; the bloody or mulberry peach, so called from the deep red flush extending quite through to the stone ; the Malta, the Chancellor, the Bellegarde (galande), the Lisle or small Violette H&tive, the Admirable, the TSton de Yenus, the Catharine, Boyal Greorge, and Noblesse. In Miller's selection from the above of those which he and other authors would prefer to grow 120 years ago, we find the following well known modem sorts : Cbosse Mignonne, Chancellor, Bellegarde, Noblesse, Admirable, Boyal George, Bed Magdalene, and Early Newington. Loudon, in his " Encyolopsedia of Gardening," published more than fifty years ago, extends the list to fifty-three varieties of peaches, consisting of forty-six free stones and seven cUng-stone peaches or Favies. Among the more important of his additions are the Acton, Tellow Admirable, Malta, Early Admirable, and Boyal Charlotte. Coming down to modem times, we find the list of varieties, as was to be expected, considerably extended. Dr. Hogg, in his " Fruit Manual," describes about eighty varieties, exclusive of endless synonyms; and Mr. Scott, in his " Orchardist," enumerates, describes, or names about 500 varieties of peaches. Fortunately for cultivators the first named pomologist, in the third edition of his " Fruit Manual," published in 1866, condenses his list of select peaches into the following nineteen sorts, arranged in the order of their ripening: Frogmore Golden (Ingram), Early Grosse Mignonne, Dagmar (Bivers), Dr. Hogg (Eivers), Early Victoria (Bivers), Early York, Early Albert (Bivers), Early Silver (Bivers), Alexandra (Bivers), Grosse Mignonne, Boyal George, Noblesse, Bellegarde, Barrington, Walburton Admirable, Gregory's Late, Lord Falmerston (Bivers), Desse Tardive. This list is not what will be selected here, but it is given to illustrate the importance of making a rigorous selection among so many. This is the more important, as new peaches are still being added, the late venerable Mr. Thos. Bivers, of Sawbridgeworth, having single handed added over thirty fine peaches to our modem lists. He has succeeded in four things with regard to peaches, in improving the constitution of some of our finer strains, such as Noblesse and Boyal George ; raising earlier, and also later sorts of superior quality, and introducing new characters and flavours by the infusion of fresh blood by the interoroBsing of 178 THE PEACH AND NECTAEINE. free stones and cling atones peaches, and nectarines. For example, by fumisMng the Alexandra Noblesse with glands and smooth leaves, we have a magnificent Noblesse peach, with a constitution mildew proof. In the Early Louise, Early Beatrice, Early Leopold, Early Silver, Early Bivers, we have early peaches of unusual excellence and variety. Efforts in this direction have also stimulated others, hence the Americans have sent over the Early Alexandra and Early Jun^, both reputed to ripen in June in the open air. In the late peaches. Princess of Wales, Eadolyffe, and Lord and Lady Palmerston, are grand additions to late desserts. The nectarine peach again has a smooth skin like a nectarine, almost thus exploding the popular belief that the downy covering is in some mysterious way the cause of the difference of flavour between the two. The Stanwick Early Tork again has a distinct Stanwick nectarine flavour, and the Early Alfred peach was produced from Hunt's Tawny nectarine, one of the most delicious in cultivation. With such a parentage no one will ,be surprised to read of this peach that it is most delicious, peculiarly rich and agreeable. We purpose distinguishing Mr. Bivers' peaches with his name in the following lists. With aU this peach wealth to choose from it must be obviously a work of much difficulty to compress our Hst of peaches into the best six, best twelve, best eighteen, and best twenty- fbnr varieties respectively. It would be much easier to name and describe flfty or a hundred varieties from printed lists, than this limited number, from experience of their qualities. But as this would throw the burden of selection on our readers, it will be far better to select a few sterling good ^orts for them. In naming so many as even two dozen, it is by no means to be inferred that those that have room for so many peach trees should grow so many sorts. On the contrary, it very often proves at once easier and more profitable to grow three or six trees of one sort than so many varieties. The following is a descriptive list of the best six Peaches ; , Noblesse. — This is still the very best peach in cultivation. The flesh is white, sweet, juicy, melting, luscious, parting freely from the stone. The fruit forms a large pale green or whitish globe, richly marked with red streaks and blotches next the sun. The flowers are large blush colour, the leaves deeply serrated and without glands. In season in the end of August, or in late seasons the first fortnight in September. Bivers' Alexandra Noblesse was raised from this variety, and is a true Noblesse, with even larger fruit — ^richer it cannot be than a perfectly ripened Noblesse. The tree is, however, said to be hardier, the leaves smooth, with round glands, and not subject to mildew, which the VARIETIES. 179 Noblesse is apt to be in vmfavonrable localities. It also ripens earlies, or in the middle of August. Boyal George. — This is also a noble peach, high colonied, downy, pale green, dotted with red on the shady side, as if the intense red on the sunny side which pierces the flesh through to the core broke through in spots on the opposite side of the fruit, which is large and globular. The floweiB are small, of a dull red colour, the leaves ample, serrated, and without glands. This variety has no fault, unless it be a weakness for mildew. In localities subject to this troublesome pest it might be advisable to substitute the far too little known and seldom grown George the Fourth for the Boyal George^ The general features of this fine peach are a good deal like the other, but the leaves have glands, it has a stronger constitution, and is not subject to mildew. The fruit is of great size, of a dark crimson colour on the sunny side. The flesh pale yellow, with red rays passing through to the stone,, which is smaller than that of the Boyal George. This fine peach ripens early in September, and although the quality is perhaps a trifle coarser than the Boyal Gteorge, it is melting, rich, and sweet, in all respects a noble fruit. Orosse Mignonne. — This is a late August or early September peach, with a large round fruit, somewhat depressed at the summit. Skin pale yello#, mottled with red on the shady side, dark red nest the sun. Flesh pale yellow, a sure sign of a rich, vinous fiavour, which in this case is amply realised, for a more tender, melting, ju^cy peach it is impossible to $nd than a well-finished specimen of this popular Grosse Mignonne, with its score or more of aliases. Only, when you order Grosse Mignonnes, and, in fact, any and all of onr selections, see that you get them. And the only way to make sure of this is to order only of the best firms, whose characters will guarantee the goods true to name. Yiolette BAtive, BeUega/rde, or Galcmde. — In this case it is almost impossible to avoid giving synonyms, as this same peach is sold under these three or more names. The fruit is large and globular ; skin very dark purple next the sun, pale green slightly suffused with yellow on the shady side ; flesh pale yellow, melting, rich and juicy ; fiowers small, reddish pink, leaves crenated with globose glands, habit robust, healthy, free from mildew, and remarkably vigorous. Bwrrington. — This is a noble large fruit, deep red next the sun, pale yellowish green on the shaded side. Flesh greenish white, slightly 'rayed with red to the stone, from which it parts freely, and is rich, jaicy, melting, and of high flavour; the flowers are large, of a bright red colonr, the leaves crenated with globose glands, the tree is vigorous and seldom attacked with mildew; in season the middle of September. Early York or Chancellor. — ^If an early peach is wanted, let it bo 180 THE PEACH AND HECTARDfE. Eivers' Early York, a most beautiful early peach, ripening in the open air early in August ; but if earliness is not considered of much moment, the sixth peach should be Chancellor, ripening about the middle of September. This is a large roundish oval peach of the highest quality ; dark purple, or crimson coloured nezt the sun, pale greenish yellow in the shade, freely mottled with red at the meeting of the two colours ; the flesh is also pale yellow, rayed with red to the stone. The quality ia rich, melting, -vinous; flowers small red, leaves crenated with glands; habit free, strong, and healthy. For a list of twelve Peaches add the following six to the above : Titon de Tenus. — Large pale yellowish white, sugary and very rich ; in season the end of September. Bwymackers. — A noble peach, a sort of late Noblesse, remarkably rich and melting ; end of September. Lord Palmerston (Eivers).— One of the largest and best of all late peaches ; in season end of September and October ; flowers very largo and beautiful ; flesh firm, melting, sweet, requires to be quite ripe or it clings slightly to the stone. Swlhamstead. — Large, melting, rich and excellent ; resembles the Noblesse; pale red next the sun; end of August and beginning of September ; a very fine peach. Crimson Galcmde, — This is another of Mr. Eivers' valuable seedlings, a free stone peach of the most vigorous habit and the highest quality, ripening in August; deep crimson colour; flesh tender, melting, rich, and delicious. Dr. Sogg (Eivers). — A large-flowered free-growing variety, ripening in the middle of August ; large, firm, melting; stained with red, the flesh rich and sugary. For a selection of eighteen peaches, to the foregoing add the following six : Boyal Oha/rlotte. — Large, roundish, oval ; skin pale white to deep red ; rich, juicy, melting, vinous ; ripens beginning of September. Princess of Wales (Eivers). — One of the largest and finest of all late peaches ; cream colour, with rich rose next the sun ; rich, melting, and delicious ; end of September. A Bee. — This is a remarkably rich early peach, ripening about the middle of August. Flesh white, juicy, tender and melting ; colour, pale lemon, dotted with crimson next the sun ; glands, round ; flower, large. A very useful delicious variety. Golden Bathripe. — This is the best early yellow-fleshed peach in cultivation, coming in about the middle of August, about the same time as the much-famed American peaoh, Crawford's Early. It is superior to that VAKIBTIES. 181 variety, and is very large, melting and rich, of a bright orange and red colour, presenting a rich contrast on the dessert table to most other sorts. Early Beatrics. — This and Early Louise, Early Leopold, and Early Eivers, is one of the most valuable of all Mr. Eivers' seedlings, coming in in the open air from the middle to the end of July, in favourable localities. The Early Beatrice is a medium sized yellowish peach, almost covered with bright red, has a rich, juioy, melting flesh, and a good flavour. 8tvm/p the World. — ^A rough, rude name, but a fine, tender, riohj delicious peach, of large size and pale yellow colour, dotted with red. For a collection of twenty-four of the best peaches add — Ea/rVy Grosse Mignonne. — ^Eipens in August, and in other respects resembles the Orosse Mignonne ; one of the finest of all early peaches. Ycmguard. — ^A robust and hardy variety of Noblesse, and less subject to mildew than that fine variety. Mctgdala (Biverg). — This is a fine, almost smooth-skinned peach, raised from Bivers' Orange Nectarine, and it combines the flavour of the peach and nectarine ; the colour is a creamy white, marbled with crimson ; ripe from middle to end of August. Lady Palmerston. — This fine peach was raised from a stone of the Fine Apple Nectarine, and partakes, to some extent, of its rich vinous flavour. It is H, large handsome peach, of a greenish-yellow colour, marbled with crimson ; it ripens towards the end of September, and is a robust grower. Late Admirable. — ^This is still one of the best late peaches in cultivation, and is a much snrer cropper than the Walburton Admirable, often recommended in preference to it ; October. SaVixanj. — ^A fine yellow late peach, of excellent quality, ripening as late as the beginning of November, and yet having a rich, juicy, melting flesh and a vinous flavour. Fortunately there are far fewer nectarines than peaches, and therefore the work of selection is less difficult. Parkinson enumerates six varieties, the Musk, the Boman Bed, the Bastard Bed, the Yellow, the Grreen, and the White. To these Bay adds the Murrey, the Tawny, the Busset, the Fainted, the Variegated, and the Algiers Nectarine. Miller enumerates ten varieties — Fairohild's Early, Elmge, Newington, Scarlet Mignon, or Italian, Bed Boman, Mnrrey, Golden, Temple's, and Peterborough. To these Loudon adds the Violette H^tive, White Flanders, Early Newington, White Geux, Bogers' Seedling, and Claremont. 82 THE p:^ach and nectahine. Dr. Hogg enumerates or describes thirty nectarines, and 'makes the allowing selection of a dozen sorts : Albert, Balgowan, Early Newington, EIrnge, Hardwick, Prince of Valea, Eivers' Orange, Homer, Stanwick, Victoria, Violette Hitive, livers' White. Mr. Scott, in his " Orchardist," names and describes ixty varieties, and makes the same selection as above. The following are the best six nectarines : Violette Sdtive. — ^Frnit large, roundish, ovate, skin green, yellowish 1 the shade, dark purple, red mottled with brown on the sunny side, flesh, ellowish green, deep red against the sun, rich sweet vinous ; one of the nest nectarines, a sure cropper, and a good constitution. Ebrwge. — Fine full-sized fruit, pale in the shade, deep red next the [in ; flesh pale, rich, and juicy ; habit of tree robust and strong. PinewppXe Necta/rme. — This is the richest and most luscious of all the ellow fleshy nectarines, and is better than the Fitmaaton orange, or livers' orange, both fine nectarines of this class. Perhaps this nectarine ught to have been placed first on the list, only that a good many object > the rich piquant flavour of these orange fleshed nectarines, and prefer le milder sweetness of the Violette H&tive and the Elruge. Eipehs in eptember. iJoumiou.— This is one of the largest and finest nectarines grown, 3 might be expected from its parentage, a cross of Mr. Knight's, be- iveen the Elruge and Violette Hsltive. The tree is a vigorous grower, le fruit ripens in August; pale green in the shade, deep red on the mny side, flesh green, red at stone ; highly flavoured, juicy, and lelting. SardMiiehe. — Fruit" very large, almost round, akin pale green thickly jvered with red next the sun ; flesh rich, juicy, and melting ; habit of the :ee, excellent ; ripen^ in the middle of August. Lord Na/pier. — This an excellent early nectarine of Mr. Elvers', lised from the early Albert peach. It has a pale cream colour with a slicate red cheek ; flesh rich and melting ; ripens early in August. Those who wish to grow twelve choice varieties of nectarines may add le following six : Balgoyxm. — This large, flne variety may be briefly described as a ,rger and hardier Violette HSitive. G-reater praise is needless. It is a ,rge, rich, melting fruit of great merit. Btan/wicTc El/ruge (Eivers). — This partakes most of the character of s latter parent, but has, nevertheless, a dash of the rich, vinous flavour : the Stanwick ; and the latter is to nectarines what the greengage is to sher plums in superiority of flavour. Hunt's Tawny. — This is perhaps the richest and beat of all the earlier PROPAGATION. 183 nectarinea. The flesh is deep orange and more piquant than either of the other orange-fleshed nectarines. The tree is also remarkably hardy and prolific. The trait is medium sized, pale orange in colour, and deep red next the skin. Those who prefer larger nectarines of similar character may substitute Rivera' Orange or Stanwiok Orange for this beautiful and delicious variety. Rivers' New WMte. — ^Very pale and delicate and luscious ; one of the most delicious and useful of all nectarines when variety of dessert is required ; a great improvement on the old white nectarine. Victoria. — This is another grand seedling of Mr. Elvers, larger and equal to the Stanwiok in quality, but without its weakness or tendency to crack, which ruins that variety in so many places. ' It also ripens earlier, or about the middle or end of September ; very large, roundish oval, green, purplish red, melting, rich, sugary, and vinous when quite ripe. Albert Victor (Rivers). — One of the largest nectarines in cultivation, in season through the earlier half of September ; colour of fruit green, with a dull red cherry coloured flesh, melting and good. Propagation. I.—By Seed. There are three methods of propagating peaches — by seeds, by budding, and by grafting. Seeds are mostly sown for the raising of stocks, the production of new varieties, and. as a handy mode of increase where peach trees are grown in quantities in^ orchards, as in America, Australia, and other countries. No doubt a good many of the seedlings are comparatively worthless. But this is of little moment where peaches are so cheap and plentiful as to be used for feeding bullocks or fattening pigs. The chief point undei? such circumstances is the production of quantities of trees at the least possible cost. There is no mode of pro> ducing peach trees at once so rapid and so cheap as that of sowing them in nursery beds, or dibbing in several seeds at distances of 8ft., 10ft., or 15ft. apart, or such distances as the future peach trees are wished to be. But this is a compressed mode of propagation and planting simul- 184 THE PEACH ASD NECTAMNB. taneoualy whdlly unsuited to this country. Here the propagation of peaches from their Btones for the production of a, peach orchard would he labour lost and land wasted. The chief objects in view by those who propagate peaches from seeds in Great Britain are improved varieties and the manufacture of stocks for furnishing root power for the multi- pHcation of superior varieties. Success in the first can only be reason- ably expected when skill and care have been exercised in the selection of ■the seeds— and even in producing them. No doubt chance seedlings do occasionally spring up possessing extraorffinary merit. Of such one success may come to vary the monotony of ten thousand failures. But, by careful selection and skilful cross-breeding, success becomes almost a certainty. Like produces like — only in fruits the succession to primitive or primeval types is so strong as to break the above law of life more often, perhaps, than keep it. StUl, the more care in selection and crossing superior varieties the more success. This is abundantly proved by the experience of Mr. Thos. Eivers, of Sawbridgeworth, who has more than doubled the number of good peaches and nectarines. Some of his most successful hits have been made by the inter-crossing of peaches with nectarines and vice versA. By such methods he has suc- ceeded in imparting much of the luscious quality of such nectarines as the Pitmastom Orange and Stanwiok to several of his peaches, and in giving more of the size of the peach to such grand nectarines as the Victoria and others. Those who sow seeds for improved varieties can hardly do better than take a leaf out of his book in regard to such matters. By crossing and sowing only the seeds of the finest fruits of the best varieties success becomes well-nigh certain. As to the time and manner of sowing, Nature affords the best lessons. The fruit falls in the autumn before the leaves, and its pulp and the covering leaves keep the stones moist with u covering of loose friable material through the winter. The pulp especially hastens the decomposition of the hard covering of the seed — ^the shell or stone — and the covering of leaves retains moisture and excludes frost. By the time the warmth of the spring returns the kernel is in an active state of growth, ready to burst its shell and to begin growth. Hence, upon the whole, the best time to sow peach stones is in the autumn. Choice hybridised seeds should be sown in pans, pots, or ijoxes, and wintered in a cold pit in a temperature of 40° or so. So treated they will mostly vegetate early in the spring, and may either be potted off or planted out towards the end of May. Or choice seeds may be stored in pits or cellars, in damp sand or earth, in a low temperature, and either planted in the open air in the spring, or in cold or other pita or frames. The growth of such seeds may also be PKOPAGATION. 185 hastened by storing as above, bieaHng the stones and removing them, and sowing the kernels only in a gentle heat. Cleared of the hard barrier of the stone, the seeds start at once and make rapid progress, and may, mth liberal treatment, be fostered into a nice plant in a few months. As it is of great moment to be able to prove seedling peaches as soon as possible, this mode of fostering their rapid germination and early growth may beQpme exceedingly useful to the raisers of new and improved 'varieties. The peach may be fruited the second season from seeds with a little special treatment. It will fruit the third or fourth year without any special hurrying or extra care. Some forward the fruiting of seed- lings by selecting the forwardest buds on the top of the shoots of the first season for budding into established trees. These often produce fruiting wood the second season. By grafting the ripest shoots on to suitable stocks in the spring, the fruit buds, if any, of such shoots, may ripen fruit the first year, plentifully the secoad. It is said that some peaches come true from seeds in America, or with but little variation. Such has not been found to be generally the case in Europe, though in the latter it must be admitted a new element and cause of variation — that of the stocks — ^is introduced. It is ciuite possible that peaches on their own roots would come more true from seeds than those budded or grafted on the plum or the almond. Be that as it may, it is found that there is little constancy in seedling peaches or nectarines in . Europe. If there were, the crop of new and superior varieties from seeds would be scantier than it is. It is also extremely doubtful whether, if peaches and nectarines came true from seed, that would prove the best mode of propagating them for garden purposes. On the contrary, ezpe- :jience seems to prove, what could hardly have been anticipated, that the peach thrives better on the plum than on its own roots, or its dose ally, the almond. This fact may well curtail our instructions for the raising of peaches from seeds for stocks, though it may be useful and interesting to some to give such information. The seeds may be sown in rows 2ft. or a yard apart, and Sin. deep ; if sown rather thinly they may remain where sown until budded, which may be m the next autumn if the plants have grown well — certainly in the second season. They may be sown in the autumn or spring, as is most convenient, and a light rich soil, on a. dry bottom and in a warm situation, are the likeliest conditions to com- mand success. The plants, however, sown in this way, where they are to remain, are apt to run very much into tap root. They grow freely and rapidly, but when removed afterwards often fail to thrive for lack of .-sufficient fibres. To force the development of these, the peach stones may be sown in beds of rieh easth, or in pans or boxes. As soon as 186 THE PEACH AND NECTABINE. fairly up they' may be lined out in rows, at oonyenient distances, for budding'. This early removal of the young plants checks the develop* ment of tap roots and causes a more fibry habit, which is of great advan- tage to the future fertility and well-doing of the tree. Almonds may be raised from seeds for stocks exactly in the same way as peaches ; in fact, an almond may almost be said to be a peach, with little or no pulp outside its stone or kernel. That little is mostly also- hard, bitter, and comparatively worthless. But itis obvious thatthe amount; or quality of this external covering can affect the seed or plant produced', from it little or none. Hence it is found that almond stocks are as good or better for peaches than the peach itself. They are extensively used' for this purpose in France and other warm countries. It is, therefore,, probable that the almond might prove a suitable stock for the peach in the more southern counties in England. One great drawback to the use of almonds for stocks is their precocious habit. With such fickle^ springs as prevail throughout the greater part of the country, any stock that would check rather than foster early growth would prove useful. This is a point that has not yet received the attention it deserves. It is obvious that: the stock on which peaches are worked exert a powerful influence on their general health and character. For example, peaches mounted on peach and almond stocks are weaker, narrower leaved, of a paler- colour, and shorter lived than those worked on plums. This proves beyond controversy the potency of the stock over the scion. Surely advan- tage might be taken of this power to force peaches to flower and grow- later in the season. But the fact is, the choice of stocks has been almost whoUy left in the hands of the sellers of peaches and other fruit trees. Their primary, almost only interest, may often be the getting up of the- greatest number of saleable trees in the shortest possible time. But, to return to almonds — it Seems aU are not equally suitable for peach stocks. The French, who use almonds extensively for peach and necta- rine stocks, prefer the hard-shelled sweet almond to aU others. Of course, the peach takes freely on the almond, and there is less disparity between the growth of the scion and the stock than between the peach, and most plums that are used as stocks for it. The incongruity between these two is made only too obvious by the huge overgrowths of the peach,, overlapping the point of union between stock and scion like a huge- vegetable wen. These monstrous growths, arising from the inabiliiy of" the stock to keep pace with the scion, often become the fruitful sources of gum, canker, and most of the other evils that the peach is heir to — or- rather, that are forced upon it by the fatal mistakes of cultivators, who are, perhaps, never more at sea than in the choice of stocks on which to work their favourite varieties. Mistakes here, like those in- PROPAGATION. 187 matrimony, are mistakes for a lifetime. Onoe the union is effected it cannot be disoonnected without destroying the tree, whence the importance of making the hest possible match between the scion and the stock. The peach and the almond ought to be the fittest stocks for peaches and nec- tarines, as far as the laws of consanguinity are concerned. But other things must be studied as well as blood, and prominent among these are soil and, climate, and experience seems to prove that the temperature of the earth is too cold for the roots of the peach and nectarine, whence, possibly, the fact that the plum proves the better stock for the peach in this country. Plums for peach stocks may be raised from seeds or layers ; suckers, Fio. 1. Fis. 3. Fia, 2. which are plentiful at times, may also be used for stocks. The first mode is identical with the raising of stocks from peaches and almonds. The commoner and more free growing plums are generally used tor these purposes. These also come more freely from seeds than the fiaer varieties. The March plum, and what is called the white pear plum, and damsons, are those most generally used. The St. Julien, Black Damask, the Brussels, Magnum Bonum, Orleans, and other plums are also used for stocks. Of late years the MyrobeUa has also been much employed as a stock for dwarf or small trees. These may be sown in the open ground in the autumn in beds of rich earth, and transplanted into lines as soon as they reach a few inches high. This removal may somewhat check growth for a time, but is needful for the laying the foundation of fertile roots for the peach and nectarine. Fig. 1 furnishes c 188 THE PEACH AND NECTAKINE. a good example of sterile, Fig. 2 of fertile roots. The expression may sound singular to many ; but the one lesson that recent adTaueements in horticulture has enforced more emphatically than any other isgthat fertility is more a matter of root character than top form or naanagement. Layers (Pig. 3) have thus an advantage over seedlings ; they form a'net- work of fibrous roots, and seldom or ever any tap roots. Of course layering insures the variety wanted. Each rooted shoot must be a facsimile in miniature of the stock. Other modes are often adopted to insure the best roots for the future trees. The stones of plums are sown thickly in beds, or more thinly in rows, and are left to make one or more season's growth, without any attempt to work them. These seedlings are then planted out in lines, 2ft. or 3ft. apart, in November. The plants are cut down to the ground in January or February : they then throw up one or more shoots, the best one being mostly selected, which furnishes good budding wood the same season. //. — By Grafting and Budding. Thotjoh grafting is not to be recommended generally, it may yet be prac- tised successfully. The older plum stocks, instead of being cut down close to the ground, may in such cases have a few inches of wood left (Fig. 4) . The stocks may be cut down in March and grafted with scions selected partly of old and partly of young wood. "Whip or a sort of dovetail side grafting is the most suitable. A close fit in every way is of great moment, so that the union may be as perfect as possible. By choosing scions partially of old wood it is a comparatively easy method to get the scions and stocks of almost equal sizes. The wounds should also be as small as possible, so as to reduce the risk of gumming to a minimum. The lower the stocks can be grafted, also, the better, so as to allow of the point of union to be covered over with earth until the union is completed (Fig. 5) . It is not well, however, to have any part of union permanently under ground to encourage the peach to root over the stocks, as in the case of pears. Long stocks for tall trees, or riders for the upper parts of walls, may be grafted at any desired height and clayed or pitched over in the usual way (Fig. 7) . Budding is by far the safest and best method of propagating peaches and nectarines. Having provided the stocks, and encouraged them to make a free growth, they wUl be ready for budding from June to September, according to the time of planting the stocks, mode of treatment, character of soil, local climate, &c. As soon as the bark on the stock runs freely, and the buds of the scions are sufiiciently PEOPAGATION. 189 formed to maintain an independent existence while uniting with the stocks, it is also essential that the bark of the scion should have reached a certain stage of semi-maturity, so as to enable it to separate readily from the wood without bruising or breaking. The latter readily happens with peaches, which have a far more brittle bark than roses. The leaf of the peach should also be cut through in the'middle, as, if left whole, the wood has too much purchase on it, and is apt to injure the bud at its base (Pig. 8). Besides, the surface of the entire leaf causes excessive evaporation, and in the bark and in the buds. The smaller the opening ift the stock, if it only admits the bud with its sheath of bark, the better. The cross out at I Fig. 4. Fis. 5, the top of the slit should likewise be avoided (Fig. 9). With a little dexterity the bud is easily placed without it, and the fewer and smaller the wounds made the less risk, and the sooner an^ sounder the union of the bud with the stock. Ties of the very softest bast or of worsted should be used. Everything, in fact, should be scrnpulotiBly avoided that would bruise the parts. Even tight tying is a frequent cause of the future failure and break down of the tree. Stone fruits are so subject to gum and canker that anything likely to produce either should be scrupulously shunned. In nine cases out of ten, probably, these diseases are directly produced by careless manipulation in budding or grafting, or subsequent training. Ties are spoedUy made, and even more speedily forgotten. They are, as a rule, too close at first. As the scions or shoots grow the ties bite into and through the bark. Where nails or shreds are used the case is worse, the risks greater, the injuries more severe and more numerous. Gum or canker follows in the track of wounds, bruises, as surely as night succeeds day. Hence the moment the buds take or unite with the stocks the necessary ties should be first loosened and speedily removed. c 2 190 THE PEACH AND NECTAUINE. The best season to bud will mostly be Jiily ; tie place for dwarfs within 6iri. and ISru. of the ground. But for its being somewhat more difficult, it would often be better to bud peaches and nectarines close to the ground. The peach would thus be simply supported by the roots of the stock, and escape the risks and weakness of the inter- mediary stem of the stock. This often gets into a diseased and stunted condition, partly through its not keeping pace with the growth of the scion, and also from other causes, such as the leaving of no independent branches, &c. By budding low (see Pigs. 8 and 9) all these risks and causes of disease thaf originate in the stock would be got rid of. In the case of riders for furnishing the tops of walls, it is common to bud at a height of from 4ft. to 6ft. (See Pigs. 10 and 11). The result is ^ rio. 7. Eio. 6. Fig. 8. too often as seen in Pig. 6. These warty excrescences mostly become . sources of weakness or the seat of disease. It is easy to avoid these by the simple expedient of budding at the earth' s line, as with dwarfs, and leading up the young peach shoot to the height required, as in Pig. 10. The whole tree branches and stems are thus of one uniform quality and character. There is no check to the flow of the sap by contracted sap vessels or channels, consequently no extra deposit of living nor concen- tration of dead matter in any part of the tree. Neither is there the slightest practical difficulty in reaching the desired height by the peach alone. Most peaches grow vigorously on suitable stocks and in proper soils ; and the growth of the future stem of the tree from the bud quickens and sustains the vigorous action of the loots, and, in fact, lays the base of the futnre health of the tree. PKOPA.GATION. 191 As peaches and nectarines are generally budded in the open, and not seldom start into growth the same season, it is needfnl to support the young shoots with a stake tied on the stem as soon as they start, to prevent them from being broken or twisted out. by the wind. But many of the buds remain dormant. These, as soon as they are Fie. 9. properly united, should be wholly untied, so that the bark may get quite healed and hardened before winter. In the case of very late buds, a slight tie might be left' on to give them the necessary support, and also a , Fib. is. small amount of protection. In no case should newly- budded trees — and especially those with dormant buds — ^be removed till they have made one season's growth. The best time to cut back the stock to the bud of the scion (Pig. 12) is in the following spring. The top is generally painted or pitched over to prevent bleeding. To be more definite, peaches budded in July and re- maining dormant should not be out back till the suooeeding February. Those that start within a month and make shoots during August and 192 THE PEACH AND NECTAKINE. September may be out back within six weeks of the time of budding. These plants, however, seldom do so well on the whole as those from buds that rest through the winter and gather up their vital force for a bold start the succeeding March. Hence the precocious development of buds should be rather guarded against than encouraged. It has been the usual practice to allow the shoots of peaches and necta- rines produced