_PRUNUS DAVIDIANA_ 86 RAY 262 RED CHEEK MELOCOTON 264 REEVES 266 RIVERS 266 ROCHESTER 268 ST. JOHN 270 SALWEY 272 SCHUMAKER 274 SMOCK 274 STEVENS 276 STUMP 278 SUMMER SNOW 278 SURPASSE 280 THURBER 280 TRIANA 282 TRIUMPH 282 WADDELL 284 WAGER 286 WATERLOO 288 WHEATLAND 288 YELLOW RARERIPE 290 PEACH BLOSSOMS ALTON (LARGE FLOWERED) 78 BLOOD LEAF 78 CHINESE FREE (MEDIUM FLOWERED) 80 CROSBY (SMALL FLOWERED) 80 KENTUCKY (NECTARINE) 82 SUMMER SNOW (WHITE FLOWERED) 82 THE PEACHES OF NEW YORK CHAPTER I HISTORY OF THE PEACH The history of the peach follows step by step the history of agriculture. The beginning of agriculture, as depicted in the traditions and embellished in the poetry of ancient peoples, was the creation of useful plants by some Divinity. But, counting unwritten history and poetic fancy as naught and coming to recorded facts--those of history as we now have it--the beginning of agriculture is marked by two recorded events. The first occurred 2700 years B. C. when Emperor Chenming, Ruler of China, instituted ceremonies for the sowing of various vegetables and grains. The second event was the building of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh by some ruler who lorded it over Egypt between 2500 to 2000 years B. C. and who ornamented his handiwork with drawings of figs.