PEACH, -Aniodalus Persica, a tree much cultivated in temperate climates for its fruit; a native of Persia and the n. of India; of the same genus with the almond (q.v.), and distinguished by oblengo-lanceolate serrulate leaves; solitary flowers, of a delicate pink color, appearing before the leaves; and the sarcncarp of the drupe succulent and tender, not fibrous as in the almond. This difference in the drupe has been made by sonic the ground of a generic distinction, hut there are intermediate states, so that others have doubted if the peach and almond are even specifically distinct. The nectarine differs from the peach only in having a smooth fruit, whilst that of the peach is downy or velvety, and is a mere variety, probably produced and certainly preserved by cultiva tion. Both peaches and nectarines are divided into freestones and clingstones. In the former the flesh of the fruit parts from the stone; in the latter it adheres to it. The freestone peach is the peche of the French, the clingstone peach their parie; the free stone nectarine they call pijelte lisse, and the clingstone nectarine brugnon. Of all ales:: there are many sully:kr:tiles, the finer ones being perpetuated by budding; which in Britain is generally on plum or almond stocks. There is a remarkable variety of Chinese origin, with the fruit compressed and flattened, and with almost evergreen leaves. Time peach is much cultivated in the s. of Europe, in many parts of the east, in the warmer temperate parts of North and South America, in Australia, etc.. as a standard tree; in general, it is rather a small tree with a full bead; in Britain, it is gen erally trained on walls, and in the northern parts of it on fitted walls or in hot houses, although even in Scotland excellent peaches are ripened on open walls without artificial beat, The nectarine is rather more tender than the peach. In the extensive peach
orchards of New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Maryland, and other states of North America, which sometimes contain 10,000 or 20,000 trees; the fruit is often of very inferior quality, from want of care in cultivation—the orchards being planted by simply depositing the seed in the ground; and much of the fruit is used for making a spirituous liquor culled peach brandy; much of it is dried in ovens, or in drying-houses furnished with stoves, or, in the inure southern states, in the sun, each fruit being divided into two parts, and the stone taken out, and when dried it is sent to marlMt to be used for pies; the of the orchards is used for feeding swine. The peach is very pleasant and refreshing fruit, and in a stewed form is useful in slight cases of consti- • pation. The leaves, when fresh, have the smell and taste of bitter almonds; and by bruising them, mixing the pulp with water, and distilling, the peach wafer is obtained which is so much esteemed by many for flavoring articles of cookery. They have been employed as a sedative and as a vermifuge. The seeds almost entirely agree in their properties with bitter almonds; the flowers exhale an odor of bitter almonds; and both seeds and flowers are employed in the manufacture of a liqueur called persica.