72 THE OKCEAED AND FRUIT GABDEN. 



The Swan's Eggs require to be gathered in October, but 

 in favourable seasons they will keep until nearly 

 Christmas ; and the Bishop's Thumb will do the same. 

 The Brown Beurre, too, keeps several weeks : it requires 

 gathering in October. Beurre de Capiaumont the same. 

 The Seckle must be eaten at once, as it ripens. Marie 

 Louise comes forward more gradually, and although it 

 may be gathered early in October, some trees even 

 earlier, the supply will last a good while, if stored with 

 care. Louise Bonne must be gathered in October, but, 

 if stored with care, some will last until nearly Christmas. 

 The store of Duchesse d'Angouldme, gathered in Octo- 

 ber, will come forward by degrees, but they must be 

 often looked over, and eaten to a day, as they ripen, or 

 these fine and popular pears will have very little good- 

 ness. Napoleon, gathered and stored in October, will 

 keep until Christmas. From the first week in October 

 to the middle of the month,' or a very few days later, is 

 the time for gathering and storing almost all pears which 

 have not been previously made safe, including the keep- 

 ing sorts, and only a few of the latest may be allowed to 

 hang on the trees later than that. 



CHAPTEB XII. 



KEEPING PEAKS. 



THE transition from the pears which must be eaten a 

 few days after they are gathered, to those of a more 

 lasting kind, which may be in use for several weeks, or 

 even for months, if put by with care, is so very gradual, 

 that a division of them must not be considered impera- 

 tive ; as, for instance, some which I named in the last 

 chapter will sometimes, if ripened under favourable 

 circumstances, and well stored, keep until Christmas ; 

 and by the same rule Crassane may, and Beurre Clair- 

 geau must often, be finished off in November, especially 

 if the summer have given too much wet or too little 

 warmth for favourable ripening. 



