Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-06
FLAT PEACH OF CHINA.
A PECULIAR VARIETY OF SUB
TROPICAL HABITS.
is 1t One that Can be Probably In
troduced into California
Some Interesting Facts.

writes as follows to the Orchard and Garden
concerning the peen-to, or fiat peach, Of
China, which will interest our numerous
fruit-growers
There is in China type of peache;
which is quite distinct in in its sub-tropical
habits from the varieties of another, Of
which we have cultivated number for
more than thirty years, and of which the
old China Cling or Shanghae was the first
The varieties of this latter type are adapted
to sections of the United States where the
ordinary varieties of the Persian strain sue
coed, while the former type is sub-tropical
in its habit and of no value for orchard
culture outside the orange belt. The trees
bloom here during January, ana retain
this tendency to early blooming wherever
grown. Java peach is given as synonym
in Downing's Fruit and Fruit Trees of
America This seems to be more more
appropriate than that of Chinese peach,
which, from the great number of varieties
of that type now grown here, is somewhat
an indefinite name. In the first edition of
Mr.. Downing's work (1S45) foot-note be-
gins thus: This variety has been several
times imported to this country and lost on
the way" ETC., showing, as Mr.. Fuller says,
that it was not then new variety: but
with every effort made to obtain 1t since
1856 | failed TO receive the true variety
either from American or European
nurseries. In 1869 l received a guam
tity of peach pits from friend in
Australia. These produced many distinct
seedlings. Some we've OF exceedingly
dwarf growth and died when two years
old; others produced semi-double flowers
and were of tall growth, but, failing to pro-
duce fruit for number of years, were
finally uprooted. One tree with large
single flowers set one fruit when three
years old, and its shape corresponded with
the description in Downing's work. few
trees were propagated from it and distrib-
uted among friends in Florida with view
of testing its value there, it being appar-
emily unsuited for orchard culture in mid
die Georgia, owing to its blooming too
early. One of these trees sent to NJ. G..
Yniestra, of Pensacola, Fla, in 1875,
fruited during the following year, and ma
tured its fruit at the the end of May. On
June %. 1877, received basket of the
fruit and a photograph of the tree, then
three years old, and which produced 1000
perfect peaches. The extraordinary yield,
quality and vigor of this tree attracted i'm
mediate attention. and its cultivation in
South and middle Florida is now quite ex-
tended. The maturity of the fruit upon
Mr.. Yniestra's tree varied considerably at
first In 1876 fruit was ripe in the middle
of May, 1877 middle of June, and in 1880 as
early as April 9th. The average periodin
south and middle Florida is from May 10th
to June 10Th.
Some trees were sent to correspondents
in Jacksonville, but they disposed of their
oft ord and tln rapnrt We
received as to what ultimately became OF
the trees. Perhaps one found its way to
Alachua county, and this may account for
the ridiculous story of its origin there.
When l disseminated this peach, after
being fully tested in Florida, / declined to
give it my name as requested by Florida
friends, who were then cultiyating it under
that appellation, because it was not new
variety, but merely a reproduction of type,
and gave it the generic name of Peen-To,
which means Flat Peach in the Chinese
vernacular.
If your rea lers will refer to the last num-
bers of the FlOlrer Dispatch of Jackson
vile, they will find many interesting arti-
cles upon this peach, which seems to have
found a congenial climate and soil in mid
die and south Florida, and opened there a
new source of production. as peach culture
was heretofore unsuccessful, owing to the
absence of suitable varieties. 1t is well
known that few of our leading varieties of
the Persian strain succeed in the orange
growing zone, while those of the Java or
southern China type are eminently well
adapted, and the sub-varieties of the north
ern China strain succeed admirably in the
upper and western sections, but not SO far
south as either the peen-to or honey.
7 would cleo ctotp thaf the nppn-tn
only a variety of type which embraces
many forms and that a great variation may
be anticipated in its seedlings. Lately sew
eral distinct varieties have been obtained
in south Florida, some being later and of a
globular FORM This is merely the begin
ming of a new race of peaches which may.
ere long, become as profitable 10 our Flor
ida friends as is the cultivation of the
orange.
The following letter was written by the
same party in Australia from whom l OBJ
tanned the peach pits in 1869:
by the San Francisco mail, which
leaves here tomorrow morning, | purpose
sending you my collection of peach stones,
in three packages. They are all of Chinese
races-nearly all seedlings of the original
fat peach of China, which we have been
growing for the last thirty-six years. The
original is free stone fruit. but it sports in
the most wonderful way. Very often in a
whole bed of seedlings no two will be alike
in all points, yet all be good. Some are of
the original fiat shape, either slip or cling
while others will be the ordinary peach
form, also divided into cling and slip, gen.
orally with pure white, juicy flesh and pale
colored stones. They will also ripen at
different times, but suppose too early for
Augusta on account of spring frosts.
Among these stones are few peculiar but
valuable Chinese varieties, some with
marked noyau flavor, some solid fieshed,
good carrying and very valuable cooking
sorts. and few from Lahore, India-evi
IDENTIFY originally from China. 1 tried to
keep these sorts distinct for you, as the
fruits ripened and ourselves and the chill
dren consumed them, but lamentably
failed. However, they will almost all be
worth growing. and think your Florida
friends will appreciate them"