MARCH. 



85 



the same colour, already out, every grower would be sure to purchase 

 it, as both its constancy and qualities would have been thoroughly 

 tested. I am at present so situated, that I rarely see a London show, 

 and am obliged to gain my information from published reports. I 

 should be pleased to give half-a-guinea for a plant of any new Dahlia, 

 that I knew would beat the old ones ; and should be fully satisfied with 

 such a test as the one proposed. 



A Provincial Exhibitob. 



HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Fruit Committee. — At a late metting, Mr. Edmonds in the chair, 

 the commmittee resolved that prizes s of 20s. and 10s. be offered 

 on this occasion for the best Winter Nelis Pears, in dishes of six 

 specimens, to be accompanied with a schedule of particulars relating to 

 the circumstances under which the fruits were produced, and the 

 announcement of their intention having been responded to, the prizes 

 were accordingly awarded. 



First prize to Mr. Cox, gardener to W. Wells, Esq., Redleaf; 

 second to Mr. A. Ingram, gardener to J. J. Blandy, Esq., Reading. 



In Mr. Cox's schedule it was stated that the locality where the 

 fruit exhibited by him was grown is in West Kent, about forty miles 

 from the sea in a direct line ; climate generally humid ; exposed to 

 south-west winds, but sheltered from east, north, and south ; the soil 

 rich garden earth, eighteen inches deep, on a subsoil of yellow clay, 

 inclining to marl, with veins of iron and fine sand, many feet deep ; 

 the ground slopes to the south-west, at an angle of about 8°. The 

 fruit was produced on a tree trained horizontally against a south wall, 

 about twelve feet high ; the tree, about thirty years old, and in good 

 healthy condition, is on the Pear stock ; the only pruning it requires is, 

 to break off all the breast-wood when in a young state. The fruit 

 exhibited was produced on branches which were grafted up the side of 

 the main stem twelve years ago, and have not failed during the last 

 ten years to bear a good fair crop. Mr. A. Ingram, the next successful 

 competitor, stated that High Grove, near Reading, is considerably 

 elevated ; the soil stiff, inclined to clay ; subsoil gravel. The tree, 

 planted in a border sloping a little to the north, is fan-trained against a 

 north wall, about thirteen feet high ; but, a peculiarity deserving of 

 notice is, that after reaching the top of the wall on the north side, the 

 branches are trained downwards in a perpendicular direction on the 

 south side, and from the portion of branches trained in this aspect the 

 Pears exhibited were gathered on the 19th of October. Mr. Ingram 

 further mentioned that the fruit produced on the south side is always 

 larger than that on the north side, but that the quality of the latter is 

 also good. The tree is old, but healthy and vigorous, and always bears 

 well ; it is trained on the spur system. 



Messrs. Webber and Co., Covent Garden, exhibited Winter Nelis 

 Pears, but not for competition. They were remarkably fine, large for 

 the sort, and of excellent flavour. From the schedule accompanying 



