1S69.] CULTIVATION OF HARDY FRUITS. 165 



the case of those, however, which attack the flowers and the eyes of 

 the fruit, the case may be different, and for fuller and more accurate 

 information regarding them I must refer the reader to those works I 

 have already spoken about. We in this country have not nearly so 

 many living enemies to contend with in our Pear-cultivation as several 

 of our neighbours, but what we want in this respect is amply made up 

 to us in the shape of late spring-frosts and easterly winds. 



It will be gathered from what has already been said, that a good 

 rich compost is necessary for the Pear. It is a very great mistake to 

 think, as many gentlemen do, that Pears, or in fact any sort of fruit, 

 will do well enough if planted in good garden mould, without any 

 additions being made thereunto. No doubt tolerably good results 

 attend the planting of them in this way in many places, but there can 

 be little doubt that much of the after disappointment and failure of 

 fruit crops is to be attributed to the Avant of the proper formation of 

 borders. "Where tolerable results are obtained without the formation 

 of good new borders, it is an evidence that the Pear suits the locality, 

 and that if new borders on a good principle had been made, fruit of 

 the very highest quality would have been the result. In the making 

 of fruit borders, the first thing to be attended to is the drainage, 

 which ought to be complete ; and for this purpose I would recommend 

 a drain of at least 3i feet in depth to be made every 15 to 30 feet, 

 according to the dampness or dryness of the locality. If a fall of 1 

 in 20 feet can be obtained, so much the better; and these drains should 

 run into a main drain near the box, to be carried off to the nearest 

 place of discharge. Where the rock is to be got at a depth of 3 or 3J 

 feet, as we have it here, the drain-tiles may be laid thereupon, and 

 with such for the bottom it is quite unnecessary to concrete or flag in 

 any way ; but where a cold deep subsoil exists it would be very advanta- 

 geous to do so, and place the tiles upon it. Upon this may be added 9 

 inches of good rough stones, or bricks broken up with a hammer, which 

 will leave about 2^ or 3 feet for the soil. We shall premise that the 

 required quantity of soil has been obtained from a good old pasture, 

 and been put up into a ridge for a few months. The best soil for the 

 Pear is a good rich mellow loam, not too light, but rather inclined to 

 be heavy. This having been obtained, let one load to at least every 

 eight be added of the best stable or farmyard manure, with charcoal 

 or wood ashes in considerable quantities, as well as a good addition of 

 crushed bones, where good fruit is more an object than the expense 

 incurred. Let these all be turned over once or twice to get thoroughly 

 incorporated, after w^hich it may be placed in the border after a layer 

 of green turf has been put therein, to prevent the soil from running 

 at once down through the ruble. This operation completed, the plant- 



