JANUARY. 11 



be generally seen at the exhibitioas the first year after being sent out, 

 unless there is a class for them in smaller-sized pots than those at 

 present required by the regulations of our principal exhibitions.] 



THE CHAUMONTEL PEAR. 



I AM desirous of pleading the claims of the Chaumontel ; its merits 

 do not appear to be known so extensively as they deserve, or it would 

 be cultivated in every garden. Notwithstanding the multitude of 

 new Pears, I very much doubt if there is one, all things considered, 

 that better merits universal cultivation than this, and especially for 

 small gardens. On Quince stocks, fan- trained, it will succeed on a 

 south-east or west wall, but of course best on a south ; en espalier 

 also, and in a warm place, as a dwarf-standard, the fruit is often of 

 large size, and w^hen mature the flavour is delicious. Its season is 

 the middle of November to the middle of January. Large specimens 

 are annually sold in Jersey and Guernsey at Al. and bl. per hundred. 



Four years ago I planted twenty of the most highly recommended 

 varieties of Pear, including the Chaumontel, one of which sort I put 

 against an east wall, and another as a dwarf- standard ; and I have had 

 more fruit from these two trees than from all the rest. The bloom is 

 very hardy, — a point of great importance ; and if you get flowers, you 

 may confidently expect fruit ; whilst with many sorts that bloom 

 " white as a sheet" you often get nothing else. When too nume- 

 rous, the fruit should be thinned to the quantity the tree can easily 

 mature, otherwise it becomes exhausted, and requires a whole season 

 to recruit, and bears only alternate years. 



The Chaumontel, baked in a slow oven, is, without an exception, 

 the most delicious sw^eetmeat with which I am acquainted ; and I 

 feel confident that any of your readers who may be induced to plant 

 it on this recommendation will never regret it, if the tree is at all 

 fairly treated. Omicron. 



SOCIETIES' SCHEDULES. 



At a time when managers of local Horticultural and Floricultural 

 Societies are preparing their schedules of prizes for 1852, a few gene- 

 ral remarks may not be inappropriate, and possibly of some service. 

 Considerable difficulty exists in pleasing local exhibitors, and at the 

 same time insuring a good show. Nevertheless, on examining a num- 

 ber of schedules, it will be apparent that prizes are often offered for 

 subjects which are not likely to be competed for. Take for instance 

 Ericas and Pelargoniums in pots of large size, or large collections of 

 plants, when there are none in the neighbourhood, and the amount 

 of the prize not sufficient to induce growers to bring them from a dis- 

 tance. However much such subjects, if produced, might add to the 

 attractions of the day, it is useless to offer prizes for them except 



