Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/216

 206 PEACH Buture, where the two halves of the stone join, varies in prominence, and the irregular pits or furrows with which the surface of the stone is marked are deeper in some varieties Fruit ol Peach. than in others; the name amygdalus is from the Greek word a/uvaaeiv, to lacerate, in refer- ence to these markings upon the stone; all these characters of the stone are of use to the pomologist in distinguishing varieties. Within the stone are usually found a single seed and the remains of an abortive ovule, though it sometimes occurs that both ovules are fertil- ized, as "double-meated" stones are not rare among both peaches and almonds. The seed proper, or meat as it is popularly called, has a very strong flavor of the bitter almond, and like that is accompanied by prussic acid ; the same flavor is perceptible in the leaves. As a fruit the peach is everywhere held in high esteem, but is nowhere so largely cultivated as in this country, which is said to be the only Peach, in Section. one in which it is within reach of the poor- er classes. The tree comes into bearing in a very few years from the seed, instances be- ing known in which fruit has been borne the second year, or in 16 months from the plant- ing of the stone ; some varieties come very true from the seed, but, as is usual with fruits which have been long in cultivation, the seed- ling often produces fruit unlike that of the parent tree; the short time required to test the quality of seedlings leads to a great in- crease of the number of varieties, and there are all over the country local kinds of quite as good quality as those admitted into the cata- logues and fruit lists. In Downing's " Fruits " (1869) there are enumerated over 130 varie- ties, and the catalogues of nurserymen include a number not in this work ; indeed, new varie- ties are constantly appearing for which some peculiar excellence is claimed. Some of our standard varieties are of European origin and have been long in cultivation, but the majority have originated in this country; while some will succeed wherever peaches will grow at all, others are only suited to particular local- ities. In a pomological classification peaches are divided into freestones (also called melt- ers) and clingstones; these divisions are sub- divided into two classes, the white or light- colored, and the yellow-fleshed. These classes each present three sections: 1, those without glands at the base of the leaf and with sharp serratures; 2, with globose glands and blunt serratures ; and 3, having kidney-shaped glands and blunt serratures. To the peach grower the time of ripening is of more importance than any other character, and one largely en- gaged in cultivating will endeavor to have a selection of sorts ripening continuously from the beginning to the end of the season, and this selection will vary according to locality. The earliest varieties are early Beatrice (Eng- lish) and Hale's early (American) ; among the latest are Smock, Stump the World, and Ward's late (all American) ; among the intermediate varieties generally popular are early York, Troth's early, Oldmixon, Crawford's early, Crawford's late, red rare ripe, Morris white, &c. The great peach region of the eastern states includes the state of Delaware and the counties of Maryland and Virginia bordering on the Chesapeake bay ; though some fruit is sent from further south, this region supplies the great bulk of the peaches sold in northern markets; in good seasons, between three and four millions of baskets, or their equivalent in crates, are sent from this district, while im- mense quantities are used at home for canning, distilling, and drying; the orchards range all the way from 1,000 or 2,000 trees up to 600 acres entirely devoted to peaches. But few peaches are now produced in New Jersey in comparison with 20 years ago. Another cele- brated peach district is on the lake shore of Michigan, which, though so far north, has its climate modified by the proximity of large bodies of water, and produces profitable crops which find a ready market in Chicago, Detroit, and other western cities. Ohio, Illinois, Mis- souri, and other states also produce large quan-