240 Notes and Gleanings. 



call it simply Pitmaston Duchess, it being sufficiently meritorious to stand on its 

 own merits, without borrowing its reputation from any other fruit. 



This is one of the largest and handsomest dessert pears we have. The spe- 

 cimen from which our figure was taken was grown by that skilful cultivator, the 

 Rev. Willliam Kingsley, of South Kilvington, whose unwearied labors in the 

 study of all kinds of fruits, and particularly of those adapted and adaptable to 

 the climate in which he resides, will have a most beneficial effect in improving 

 the fruit collections of that district. 



The Pitmaston Duchess is a large handsome pear, generally even, or a little 

 undulating in its outline, and sometimes rather prominently bossed. The skin is 

 smooth and fine, of a pale lemon color, thickly covered with patches of delicate 

 cinnamon-colored russet, with a large patch round the stalk. In appearance, it 

 is not unlike a good specimen of Marie Louise grown against a wall, when the 

 skin is bright and smooth. Eye large and open, set in a wide cavity. Stalk 

 about an inch long, stout, and inserted either level with the surface or in a small, 

 narrow cavity. Flesh very tender and melting, very juicy, exceedingly rich and 

 sugary, with a brisk, refreshing flavor and a delicate perfume. 



It ripens in some places about the end of October, but in others it comes into 

 use in the end of November. 



As yet the variety has not been extensively distributed. It is little known 

 among fruit growers, and hence the information regarding it is limited. Mr. 

 Kingsley has grown it only on the quince, and as yet has fruited but one tree, 

 which is a very small one, in a pot. Nevertheless, that tree bore eleven fruit, 

 one of which supplied our figure. Mr. Kingsley says, " The ordinary Duchesse 

 has never come to perfection with me yet." English Journal of Horticrilttire. 



How TO FORCE Radishes. — We extract from Galignani's Messenger the 

 following somewhat singular method for raising early radishes : — 



Radishes may be grown in a few days by the following method : Let some 

 good radish seed soak in water for twenty-four hours, then put them in a bag 

 and expose it to the sun. In the course of the day germination will commence. 

 The seed must then be sown in a well-manured hotbed, and watered from time 

 to time with lukewarm water. By this treatment the radishes will, in a very 

 short time, acquire a suflicient bulk, and be good to eat. 



If it be required to get good radishes in winter, during the severe cold, an old 

 cask should be sawn in two, and one half of it filled with good earth. The rad- 

 ish seed, beginning to shoot as before, must be then sown in, the other half of 

 the barrel put on the top of the full one, and the whole apparatus carried down 

 into the cellar. For watering, lukewarm water should be used, as before. In 

 the course of five or six days the radishes will be fit to eat. 



Lilacs. — It is a matter of surprise that the fine varieties of lilac now in 

 cultivation, such as the magnificent dark-colored kinds, named Dr. Lindley and 

 Charles X., are not oftener planted in preference to the very inferior older kinds 

 of common lilac, which they excel as much as the plant usually grown as Per- 

 sian Lilac, but which appears to be the Rouen variety {rotharnagensis), does the 

 comparitively puny-looking type of Syringa persica. Florist and Pomologist. 



