256 YlUA GARDENING part hi 



plan I have had the Marie Louise (one of the best autumn Pears) 

 in season for a period of six weeks, when without some such plan 

 the fruit would have gone bad in less than three weeks after the 

 first dish was fit for table. Pears are ripe enough to gather (and 

 the same rule applies to Apples also) when the fruits part readily 

 from the stalk, i.e. if, when we take a fruit in the hand and lift 

 it up — bringing a leverage to bear upon the stalk when it reaches 

 the horizontal position — it becomes detached and remains in 

 the hand, that is suflicient evidence that it is fit to gather. 

 When the seeds or pips assume a dark mahogany tint, and the 

 foliage puts on that ripened appearance which tells that their 

 work is finished, the fruit may be gathered. Great care must be 

 used, as the least bruise vfiYi. result in premature decay. Early 

 Pears, such as Doyenn^ d'Et^, Williams's Bon Chretien, etc., should 

 be gathered a few days before they are ripe. The Jargonelle may 

 be had good fresh from the tree, but all the Bergamottes require a 

 fortnight in the fruit-room. If late Pears are gathered too soon 

 the fruits will shrivel, and be deficient in quality. The best way 

 to keep winter Pears is to pack them in drawers or in some position 

 where the light will be kept from them. After the first week or 

 so shallow trays or boxes just deep enough to hold one layer are 

 very suitable ; they do not occupy much space, as they may be 

 packed away one above the other, placing the late fruits in ihe 

 bottom, and those which will be required first where they can be 

 easily got at. The fruit-room should be frost-proof and equable 

 in temperature. A dry cellar makes an excellent store-room for 

 fruit. Some of the late Pears, such as Beurrd Ranee, Ne Plus 

 Muris, etc., require to be helped by a higher temperature a week 

 or ten days before they are required for use — i.e. supposing the 

 usual time of a fruit's ripening is in January, move a few at a time 

 about the beginning of the month to a warm cupboard in the 

 dwelling-house. This will bring up the flavour, and reduce the 

 hard tiurnipy flesh to an agreeable melting condition. 



Propagation. — Little need be said on this ■ head, further 

 than to urge all to give more attention to it, as the surest way 

 of increasing the fruit trees in the country is by creating a greater 

 interest in their culture. There are three ways of propagating 

 Pear and other fruit trees. First by seeds which any one can save 

 and plant at any time. It is so easy when eating a Pear we like to 

 save the pips, and at the first opportunity plant them in a pot of 

 soil, and place the pot, duly labelled, in a frame, with other similar 

 experimental efi'orts. In due time the seeds will grow, and as the 

 season advances the young Pear trees should be planted in a nursery 

 line in the experimental bed. In a couple of years or so they will 



