PEARS AS STANDARDS 79 



are often gathered ten days before this period and laid in 

 heaps to ripen them for that festival. 



The Hessle ripens in September. The tree is a great 

 bearer, and the fruits are dull green with silvery specks. 

 This is followed by Williams' Bon Chretien, and in October 

 Beurre" Bosc pays well in good Pear land, also Beurre 

 Capiaumont, a small Pear often brightly coloured. Rivers' 

 Fertility is an improved form of Capiaumont, and Petite 

 Marguerite is a sweet, round Pear which ripens in October, 

 when Red Robin is also in season. 



Owing to the habit of these Pears to crop very heavily, 

 they are often undersized. The size may be improved by 

 affording the trees a liberal surface mulch, in May, of 

 fresh stable dung, or an application of manure water, or 

 a dressing of nitrate of soda or other fertiliser. It is 

 advisable to give this attention, because it assists the trees 

 to bear the following season ; otherwise they may require 

 a year's rest to recover. 



In winter it also pays to thin out the boughs, as even 

 a rise of 6d. to is. per bushel for improved quality will 

 repay this attention. 



Standards may be planted on arable or grass land. 



It is useless to plant choice Pears unless the soil is 

 suitable such, for instance, as a rich, deep-brick earth 

 but the small sorts recommended above for standards are 

 not so particular as to soil. 



Perry Pears are not grown in Kent, but they may be 

 purchased from some of the Midland nurserymen. 



