EEPORTS OP THE FRUIT COM^l 



last year. The whole of the tree is full of fruit-buds. Mr. Pakk 

 remarks that, in the locality of iletford, very little rain has fallen 

 since July, 1857, and that the last two summers have been un- 

 usually hot. He adds that, with him, the Beurre Ranee is 

 seldom fit for use before the beginning of April. The specimens, 

 exhibited were very fine, juicy, and rich, but not quite so ripe as 

 those from Mr. Cox. It therefore appears that excellent Pears 

 can be produced in the midland counties of England. 



Mr. Hilt, stated that Keele Hall, North Staffordshire, occupies 

 an elevated situation, but sheltered on all sides. The climate is 

 humid, and not favourable for out-door fruits, unless the trees are 

 very much sheltered. The tree which produced the fruit exhi- 

 bited is growing in a stiff loam, two feet deep, on a subsoil of 

 red sandstone rock ; the border slopes about six inches in eight 

 feet. The tree is twenty years old, on the pear stock, and very 

 healthy ; it is trained horizontally against a south wall, and is 

 spur-pruned in the usual way. Three years ago it was root- 

 pruned within four feet of the stem. The specimens were of 

 fair size ; but smaller, it was stated, than usual, owing to the 

 tree bearing a heavy crop ; they were juicy, but deficient in 

 sugary quality. Mr. Hill stated that the Beurre Ranee is the 

 best late Pear he has ; and that the Ne plus Meuris, Easter 

 Beurre, and the Josephine de Malines, although grown in the 

 same soil as the Beurre Ranee, never prove good. 



Mr. Johnston stated that the country south and west of 

 Terregles is hilly ; north and east rather flat. The gardens are 

 a hundred feet above the level of the sea, on a flat surface, shel- 

 tered by plantations, but open to the south-east ; climate, rather 

 moist. The average depth of soil is twenty-four inches, it is light 

 and sandy, but richly manured ; subsoil, sandy gravel, naturally 

 dry. The tree which produced the fruit exhibited is about 

 eighteen years old, and is on the pear stock ; it bears abundantly, 

 and the fruits are thinned. It is trained horizontally against a 

 south-east aspect wall, twelve feet high, which is wired, and has a 

 stone coping projecting nine inches. The tree was root-pruned 

 in 1857, the spurs were shortened and thinned out. and likewise 

 a few of the branches, in the springs of 1857 and 1858, in con- 

 sequence of their being too thick. The border, ten feet wide, is 

 richly manured, and cropped with vegetables, such as lettuces, or 

 occupied with seed-beds, but never deeply dug. As regards size 

 and appearance, the specimens were the largest and finest exhi- 

 bited ; but they had no flavour. It should be understood, that 



