This is only a fine variety of the peach, having a smooth skin. Downing
gives instances of its return to the peach, and others of the production
of nectarines and peaches on the same limb. The appearance of the tree
is hardly distinguishable from the peach. It is one of the most
beautiful of dessert fruits: it has no down on the skin, being entirely
smooth and beautiful, like waxwork. Its smooth skin exposes it to the
ravages of the curculio. It is longer-lived on plum-stocks, but is more
generally budded on the peach. It is usually productive wherever peaches
flourish, if not destroyed by the curculio. It is even more important
than in the peach to head-in the trees often, to produce good large
fruit.
_Varieties_--are divided into freestone and clingstone, with quite a
number in each class. We give only a few of those most esteemed.
_Boston._--Freestone, American seedling; hardy and productive; color
deep-yellow, with a bright-red cheek. Time, September 1st.
_Due du Telliers._--Freestone, pale-green, with a marbled reddish cheek;
flesh whitish, inclining to green; very fine; a great bearer of rather
large fruit. Time, last of August.
_Hunt's Tawny._--Very fine and early; a great bearer; tree hardy; color,
pale-orange, with a dark-red cheek, with many russety specks. Time,
forepart of August.
_Pitmaston Orange._--A fine yellow nectarine, maturing the last of
August.
_The Early Violet_--is an old French variety, everywhere esteemed; it
has sixteen synonyms; fruit high-flavored. Time, last of August.
_Newington._--A good clingstone; an English variety that has long been
cultivated; it has many synonyms; the color dark-red when exposed. Time,
10th of September.
_Newington Early_--Is one of the best, earlier, larger, and better, than
the preceding; ripens first of September. The same varieties are
excellent for the South, where they ripen considerably earlier. The
following selection of choice, hardy nectarines for a small garden, is
from Downing:--
Early Violet, Elruge, Hardwicke Seedling, Hunt's Tawny, Boston, Roman,
and New White.