THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 37 



Soil. — Nearly all soils will grow good pears, excepting those of 

 a sandy character, and in these the fruit frequently cracks, and is 

 hard, and gritty, and deficient in juice. This part of the subject 

 need not detain us a moment, for it may be said that soils that will 

 grow good cabbages will grow good pears, and also that when they 

 become exhausted, the usual means of restoring their fertility must 

 be resorted to. 



Gathering the Fruit. — A word in conclusion with reference 

 to gathering the crops. It cannot be known too widely that all 

 summer and early autumn pears should be gathered a week or ten 

 days before they attain full maturity, as they are so much finer in 

 flavour than when allowed to hang upon the trees until they drop 

 off. Late pears must not be gathered too early, or they will shrivel 

 and eat tough and dry. On the other hand, they must not be 

 exposed to frost, and should be safely stored in the fruit-room by 

 the end of the first week in October. They are generally ready for 

 gathering when the seed has become black, and the stalks part 

 readily from the spur. As a rule, the fruit of those that are not fit 

 for the table until February, and two followiug months, should be 

 left upon the trees until the last. It should be handled very care- 

 fully, and it keeps better when spread out singly. 



Selection op Sorts for Pyramids and Espaliers. — As 

 many varieties remain in season for a considerable period, I shall, 

 to show when they are in perfection, and to avoid repetition, classify 

 them as follows : — Summer Pears, to comprise those ripe in July 

 and August ; Autumn, those ripe in September, October, and 

 November ; Winter, those ripe in December, January, and February ; 

 and Spring, those that do not wholly attain maturity until March 

 and April. 



Summer Pears. — Ananas de Courtrai, Andre Desportes, Barbe 

 Nelis, Petit Muscat, Beurre de l'Assomption, Citron des Cannes, 

 Doyenne d'Ete, Jargonelle. 



Autumn Pears. — Belle Julie, Autumn Bergamot, Camel's Ber- 

 gamot, Beurre Bosc, Beurre Capiaumont, Beurre Deil, Beurre 

 Coubalt, Beurre Navez, Bon Chretien (Williams's), Pitmaston, 

 Duchesse d'Angouleme, Duchesse d' Orleans, Hazel, Gansel's Seckle, 

 Swan's Egg. 



Winter Pears. — Alexandre Bivort, Beurre Berckmans, Beurre 

 Easter, Beurre Sterckman, Broom Park, Comte de Flandres, Grand 

 Soleil, Josephine de Malines, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Knight's 

 Monarch, Winter Nelis, Prince of Wales, Huyshe's Victoria, Lan- 

 gelier's Victoria, Zephiriu Gregoire. 



Spring Pears.— Basiner (De Jonghe), Bezi de Caen, Bezi Mai, 

 Colmar de Mars, Madame Millet (in warm situations), March 

 Bergamot. 



