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THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



and the establishment was given up, and thus the original 

 trees of \'an ]\lons perished. The work of Bivort in 

 preserving and recording these seedlings was of the high- 

 est importance, and assures him a high place in the 

 pomological hierarchy. 



Prominent among Belgian fruit raisers must be reck- 

 oned Major Esperen, one of Napoleon's officers. This 

 gallant soldier saw much service before settling down to 

 the peaceful occupation of fruit culture. Joining the 

 army as a volunteer ni 1803, he was wounded at Wagram, 

 and promoted lieutenant on the battlefield. Afterwards 

 he took part in the campaigns in Germany, Russia and 

 Tuscany, retired in 1817, and devoted his time to the 

 raising of seedlings, some of which are still in the first 

 rank. The best known varieties of Major Esperen's rais- 

 ing is Josephine de Malines, which was produced in 1830, 

 and named after his wife, Josephine Baur. Scarcely less 

 well known is Emile d'Heyst, which first fruited in 1847, 

 and was dedicated to Emile Berckmans, son of the well- 

 known pomologist of Heyst-op-den-Berg. Another pear, 

 Elisa d'Heyst, named in honor of Madame Berckmans, 

 has not been so widely grown. Esperen's name is happily 

 kept in memory by the well-known Bergamotte Esperen, 

 which first fruited in 1830, and rapidly became known 

 as one of the very best of its season. Another pear, 

 Soldat Laboureur, whose name bears reference to the 

 career of its raiser, has never been much grown in this 

 country, but it may still be found in many gardens in 

 Holland and Belgium. The well-known Plum Reine 

 Claude de Bavay was another of his seedlings, and was 

 dedicated to Madame de Bavay, wife of the director of 

 the Royal Gardens at Vilvorde. Esperen was the raiser 

 of many other seedling fruits, some of which may still 

 be found in Continental gardens, and his stringent selec- 

 tions made them all of very considerable merit. To have 

 introduced three such valuable fruits as Josephine de 

 Malines, Bergamotte Esperen and Emile d'Heyst is no 

 inconsiderable achievement. 



Another raiser of fruits who had considerable success 

 was Xavier Gregoire-Xelis, of Todoigne. His seedlings 



were extremely numerous, but few of them have found 

 acceptance in this country. The best known are Zephirin 

 Gregoire, one of the most delicious winter fruits, and 

 Xouvelle Fulvie, which was raised in 1854. The some- 

 what curious name of this fruit is accounted for in the 

 following manner. In 1845 M. Gregoire raised a variety 

 called Fulvie Gregoire. When, however, in 1854, Xou- 

 velle Fulvie appeared, its qualities were such an improve- 

 ment that it thus received its name as a supplanter of 

 Fulvie Gregoire. 



Wlrile the above-mentioned horticulturists stand out as 

 leaders m Belgian pomology, the raisers of pears may be 

 numbered by scores, and it is impossible to deal with 

 them exhaustively. Some of these have only one fruit 

 to their credit, but in the case of M. Durondeau, a brewer 

 of Tongrcs, Hainault, and M. Capiaumont, who was 

 mentioned above, there is no danger of their names being 

 forgotten. 



CJf the many chance seedlings of which the origin is 

 unknown, the most famous are Beurre Diel and Calabasse 

 Bosc. The former was found by Meuris, the well-known 

 gardener to Van Mons, at a farm near to \'ilvorde, and 

 the tree was still existing fifty years ago. Scarcely less 

 tamous is Calabasse, a discovery of Van Mons in the 

 garden at Linkebeek. 



It must not, however, be thought that pears alone 

 occupied the attention of Belgian poniologists, though 

 they did so to a very large extent. Other fruits recall 

 by their names many Belgian towns, such as the well- 

 known Plum Belle de Louvain, the Cherry Abbesse des 

 Oignies, Cerise de Gembloux and many others. 



But enough has been said to show the important place 

 Belgium has filled in tiie history of pomology, and we 

 may be sure that when the present war is over and the 

 Belgian cultivators are once more able to devote them- 

 selves to their peaceful occupations, the memory of their 

 famous poniologists will serve to inspire them with re- 

 newed zeal for a profession which they have always prac- 

 ticed with such conspicuous success. — From Gardeners' 

 Ciironide (British). 



VIEW OF THE FALL SIHUV OF THE HORTICULTUR.-\L SOCIETY IIF NEW YORK. IX THE BACKGROUM ) ARE THE WONDERFUL 

 SPECIMENS OF BUSH CHRYS.\NTHEMUM PLANTS FROM THE ADOLPH LEWISOIIN ESTATE. ARDSLEY, N. Y. (JOHN 

 CANNING, SUPT.) IN THE I-^OREGROUND ARE SOME OF F. R. PIERSON'S NEW VARIETIES OF ROSES. 



