retained in the nursery for two, three, or four years, till in a bearing state. Whether the plants be removed into the orchard at a year old, or remain in the nursery, the first shoots from the bud must be headed down in a judicious manner, in order to promote the most desirable form. In annual pruning, thin out superfluous branches and dry wood, and shorten the bearing-shoots. Nectarines may be trained to a close fence or wall, in private gardens; in which case, such plants should be chosen as are budded low. (See article on Apricot.) The Nectarine may be raised from the seed, planted the same as Peach-pits.

SELECT DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF NECTARINES.

FREESTONE NECTARINES.

AROMATIC. A middle-sized, rather globular fruit, skin pale straw-color, with deep red or brown next the sun; flesh pale straw, but red at the stone; juice of a rich vinous flavor; ripe early in August.

BOSTON, Lewis's Seedling. A fine native variety, raised by Mr. Lewis, of Boston; fruit of medium size; heart-shaped ; color bright yellow, mottled with red; flesh yellow, firm, pleasant, and peculiar in flavor; ripe in September.

ELRUGE, Claremont, Temple's, Vermash of some collections. One of the very best and most highly flavored Nectarines; fruit medium size, of a green or pale yellow color, with violet cheek; pulp whitish, melting, very juicy, rich, and high-flavored; ripens early in August.

FAIRCHILD'S EARLY. Fruit very early, but small; of globular shape, yellow in the shade, deep scarlet next the sun; flesh yellow, not juicy, but well flavored; ripe in July and August.

PERKINS'S SEEDLING. A very large beautiful Nectarine, raised by S. G. Perkins, from the Boston, Lewis's Seedling; the form is globular; color bright yellow, with dark crimson on one side; flesh tender, juicy, and high flavored; ripe in September

PITMASTON'S ORANGE. A good-sized globular, almost heart shaped fruit, of a rich yellow color, but dark crimson or purple next the sun; flesh golden yellow, but red next the stone, from which it separates; it is melting, juicy, saccharine, and high flavored; ripe in August.

SCARLET. A middle-sized fruit, somewhat ovate, of a beautiful scarlet color next the sun, and pale red on the shaded side; the flesh separates from the stone, and is at maturity in August.

VERMASH.

True Vermash. This fruit is rather of small size and roundish form, tapering towards the eye; the skin is of a very deep red color next the sun, and of a greenish hue on the other side; flesh white, rich, melting, and juicy; at maturity in August.

VIOLET, Violette Hative, Petite Violette Hative, Lord Selsey's Elruge, Large Scarlet. Fruit variable in size, generally medium; pale yellowish-green, but darkish purple and red next the sun; flesh melting, juicy, rich, and excellent; ripe in July and August.

WHITE, OR FLANDERS NECTARINE, New White, Emerson's New White, Neale's White. A middle-sized, roundish, very pale fruit, slightly tinged with red next the sun; flesh tender and juicy, with a fine vinous flavor; ripe in August.

CLINGSTONES, OR PAVIES.

BRUGNON VIOLET MUSQUÉ, Brugnon Musqué. Fruit large, of a deep red and yellow color; skin very smooth; flesh yellow, but red at the stone; saccharine, vinous, musky; at maturity in August and September.

EARLY NEWINGTON, Large Black Newington, Lucombe's Seedling. Fruit below the medium size, ovate; skin pale green, and on the sunny side of a deep red color; pulp superexcellent; considered by some as the best of all Nectarines; ripe in August and September.

GOLDEN. Fruit medium size, of the finest orange color, delicately and beautifully mottled with red next the sun, which

gives to it a clear waxen appearance; flesh firm, yellow, pale red at the stone, and has a poignant rich flavor; ripens in August and September.

RED ROMAN, Roman Red. A very excellent Nectarine, of large size; the skin dark red next the sun, and of a yellowish hue on the other side; flesh yellowish, but red next the stone; it abounds with rich juice when fully ripe, in August and September.

SCARLET NEWINGTON, Late Newington, Sion Hill. This variety is much esteemed, the fruit is large, of a beautiful red color next the sun, and of a fine yellow or amber on the other side; its quality is excellent, being rich and juicy; early in September.

TAWNY NEWINGTON. Fruit large, somewhat ovate; tawnycolored, marbled with dull red or orange next the sun; flesh pale yellow, but red at the stone; very juicy, sugary, and of the most delicious flavor; ripens in August and September. This, in England, is considered one of the best of clingstone Nectarines.

Notwithstanding this fruit, and also the Lemon and Lime, are attainable at all seasons of the year, by supplies from our Southern States, the West Indies, and the South of Europe, yet the plants are entitled to our notice on account of their being so easily cultivated, and from their affording an ornament by exhibiting their fruit the whole of the year. The Orange is generally cultivated as a green-house plant; but may be kept in a light room throughout our severe winters, provided the temperature is not suffered to be below the freezing point, 32 degrees. Its recommendations are, handsome evergreen, shining, tree-like form; most odoriferous flowers,

and brilliant, fragrant, and delicious fruits, which succeed each other perpetually, and are not unfrequently seen on the tree at the same time, in two or three stages of growth.

All the species of Citrus endure the open air at Nice, Genoa, and Naples; but at Florence and Milan, and often at Rome, they require protection during the winter, and are generally planted in conservatories and sheds. Loudon says that in the south of Devonshire, and particularly at Saltcombe, may be seen in a few gardens, Orange-trees that have withstood the winter in the open air upwards of a hundred years. The fruit is as large and fine as any from Portugal. Trees raised from seed, and inoculated on the spot, are found to bear the cold better than trees imported.

Any of the varieties of the Orange, Lemon, Lime, Shaddock, Citron, etc., may be grafted or budded on stocks of the common Orange or Lemon; but seed of the Shaddocks and Citrons produces the strongest stocks, and on these may be grafted such kinds as may be needed for a conservatory. The most suitable time for budding is July and August; but this operation may be performed at any time when the sap is in motion. The directions for the management of green-house plants apply also to this family of plants.

PEACH.

PECHER. Amygdalus Persica.

The Peach, plump and ripe, brings us excellent fare,
Let the Nectarine, too, in this eulogy share-
Their flavor how grateful-their juices how fine,
Unequall'd in taste by the fruit of the vine.

It is generally considered that the Peach is of Persian origin. In Media, it is deemed unwholesome; but when planted in Egypt, becomes pulpy, delicious, and salubrious. It has been cultivated, time immemorial, in most parts of Asia.

When it was introduced into Greece is uncertain. The best Peaches in Europe are supposed to be grown in Italy, on standards.

Although this fruit will thrive in any sweet, pulverized soil that is properly prepared, a rich sandy loam is the most suitable. Next to the selection and preparation of a suitable soil, a choice of good healthy trees is of the utmost importance. The seed for stocks should be selected from the vigorous growing young, or middle-aged healthy trees; and the buds should be taken from some of the choicest fruit-bearing trees that can be found. Let the stocks be fairly tested before they are budded; and if any infection exist in the stocks, or in the vicinity where the choice buds are found, reject them if you wish to rear a healthy progeny; as more depends upon these particular points than many are aware of.

BUDDING PEACH-TREES.

In this country the Peach is generally budded on stocks of its own kind; but in England it is often budded on damask Plum-stocks, and some of the more delicate sorts on Apricot stocks, or old Apricot-trees cut down; or on seedling Peaches, Almonds, or Nectarines. (See article Nectarine.) Cobbett says: "There are thousands of Peach-trees in England and France that are fifty years old, and that are still in vigorous fruitfulness." He attributes the swift decay of the Peach-trees here to their being grafted on stocks of their kind. Mr. Michael Floy, of the Harlem Nursery, makes the following observations on this subject, which he says are the result of thirty years' experience as a nursery-man in the vicinity of New York:

"In this country Peaches are generally budded on Peachstocks. Their growth is rapid, and they will form a tree large enough to transplant from the nursery, the first and second year after budding. Notwithstanding the rapid growth of our peaches, and their coming to maturity so early, with but little care and trouble, it must at the same time be admit