14 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



shade from the direct rays of the sun, as the confined air within the 

 handlight may get over-heated, and burn flowers, leaves, and all. In 

 place, however, of covering over the light, let a mat be placed in such 

 a position as to keep off the sun, without retarding the light, which 

 may be done in the following manner : Nail a mat, say, 2 feet above 

 the light, and let it be extended, at an angle of 45°, to two stakes, 

 placed 5 feet out in the border, which will answer admirably the end 

 in view. This operation finished, the operator has years of anxiety 

 before him ere the fruits of his labours will prove themselves good or 

 bad. Notwithstanding, he will watch every stage from the present 

 time till then as a faithful mother would her tender offspring. If, 

 through the course of growth, any of these fruits should appear de- 

 formed in any way, remove them, as in all probability the seeds may 

 not prove so good as those of their larger or better brethren. And 

 further, I would recommend every one of them to receive support 

 from the time they take their last swelling until they arrive at 

 maturity, as I find from experience that all fruits, no matter of 

 what sorts, swell from one-fourth to one-half larger when supported 

 than if left to hang from the branch ; and I am further convinced 

 that the seeds also must share in the benefit, and consequently give 

 stronger and healthier seedlings. 



The fruit being ripe and gathered, remove the seeds with care. 

 Various ways and times for sowing have been recommended, and each 

 and all, I believe, has been followed with less or more success. Some 

 have recommended the placing of the seeds in a j^hial amongst sand 

 for one or two months, afterwards taking them out into paper and 

 allowing them to remain there till the following autumn, when they 

 should be sown — M. de Jonghe giving as his reason for this course 

 that, " after remaining in this situation, . . . the skins of the 

 seeds wdll acquire a consistence, and the kernel a firmness, that will 

 enable it to vegetate with greater vigour when committed to the soil" 

 By this means, however, a year is lost, and a considerable amount of 

 labour also, compared to the mode practised by that eminent pomolo- 

 nist, Mr Rivers, and with what success it is not necessary for me to 

 say. His method will be found in extenso in the ' Journal of the 

 Horticultural Society,' vol ix. beginning at page 292 : I will, however, 

 give the substance of it here. When the Pear-eating season begins 

 he prepares 9-inch pots, filling them with two-thirds of loam to one- 

 third of rotten manure, with a little sand ; these are placed upon tiles, 

 away in an open space not likely to be the haunt of slugs. The Pear 

 with the desired seed being ready for use, he eats it, removes the pips 

 one by one, and presses them down about an inch into the pot. 

 Thereafter he writes a label bearing the parent names and date of 



