His practice is to allow his pears to remain on the trees much longer than hud 

 jrciKTiilly been sa])itosed advisaljle.* 



His \Viiiler Nelis were {rathcred until the 20lh of November, 1855 — Beurre 

 d'Aremburg and Glout Morceau on the 1 0th of Novcmljer.f 



The fruit is, of course, very carefully handled in picking, and then ])ut into 

 baskets and boxes, and placed in a cool room, over a shed, which can be well 

 ventilated and well closed at projier times. AVhen winter has evidently "set in,"| 

 the jiears are all carefully examined, and put into boxes, § say one or two 

 tiers in a box, and removed to a room on the first floor of the dwelling-house, in 

 the northwest corner, adjoining a hall which is always moderately warm. The 

 temperature of this fruit-room, for the present winter, has been about 40^ — the 

 average a trifle less. 



The Beurre d'Arembergs are on pear stocks (^. e., grafted on old trees), the 

 Glout Morceau on quince, and the Winter Nelis double-worked, the last two being 

 about twelve years from the bud. || 



These pears have gradually ripened, and become in good eating condition — a 

 few every day — for a period of three months. None of them were brought out, 

 to ripen, into a room of a warmer temperature. Mr. Smith's opinion is that the 

 13. d'A. does not need such treatment, although he admits that the Winter Nelis 

 and Glout Morceau might be somewhat improved by it. 



One word about another pear, the Beurre Diel. Mr. S. grows this both on 

 pear and quince. The difference, in his opinion, in the quality of the fruit, is not 

 very great. Those on ([uince are, perhaps, more melting, and of somewhat better 

 flavor ; those on pear closer-grained, and later kee])ers. Some few of his Beurre 

 Diels were preserved through January ; in fact, the very last one was eaten on the 

 tenth day of February ! 



WARDIAN CASE AND AQUARIUM COMBINED. 



Not being aware that a fresh-water aquarium has before been connected with a 

 Wardian Case, I ))cg to furnish you with a sketch of a contrivance combining the 

 two, which I have had in operation for some time. 



The apparatus consists of four parts, made of flint glass, with a little cobalt to 

 give it a tinge of blue. Contrivances of this kind are made of various sizes. In 

 the one from which the sketch was taken, the tank which contains the water in 



* In tMs connection, the action of frost ; the flow and elaboration of sap, before and after 

 the fall of the leaves ; the inspissation of saccharine and preservative particles, as connected 

 with the exudation of aciueous matter ; the absorption and exhalation of gases, &c., were 

 bi-iefly discussed, and may foi-m the material of a future communication. Meanwhile, this 

 branch of the subject is particularly commended to the attention of the numerous readers 

 and correspondents of the llorticnUiirist, many of whom are doubtless well qualified to im- 

 part much valuable information derived from recent developments and experiments. 



t Differences in latitude, and variety in seasons, will bear very materially upon this 

 point. 



t Pears removed to house 29th of December, 1855. 



§ The boxes are mostly round ones, with close-fitting covers ; of the form and dimensions 

 of large cheese-boxes. 



11 As regards the Winter Nelis, the fact, as above stated, might mislead some as to the 

 iiecemty of its being double-worked. Such, I think, is not the case. It is one of those 

 valuable pears which, in addition to its other good qualities, generally succeeds well, either 

 on pear or on quince, or on both. 



