298 



THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. XVIIT. 



result with us was to produce too many wood-shoots. "Whether 

 this is the result of a richer soil and a moister climate or not, I 

 cannot say. The merit of the successful results of the cordon- 

 wall is due to my late gardener, Mr. Wells, now at Osborne Park 

 Nurseries, Potter's Bar. The following are the weights of some 

 of the cordon-grown Pears, produced by trees which have always 

 been allowed to bear freely, viz. : — Glou ]\Iorceau, 

 13^ oz. ; Beurre Bosc, 12i oz. ; Beurre Superfin, 14 

 oz. ; Van Mons, 15 oz, ; Easter Beurre, 16 oz. ; 

 Beurre Diel, 15 oz. ; Zephirin Gregoire, 11| oz. ; 

 Triomphe de Jodoigne, 14 oz. ; Josephine de 

 Malines, 11 oz. ; Doyenne d'Alencon, 13| oz. ; 

 Duchesse d'Hiver, 18^ oz. ; Benamotte d'Esperen, 

 11^ oz. ; Conseiller de la Cour, 14 oz. ; and fruit 

 from Doyenne Boussoch, Beurre Hardy, Madame 

 Millet, Williams's Bon Chretien, Eigne d'Alenfon, 

 and Beurre Sterckmans have weighed equal to 

 these, as have also Duchesse d'Angouleme, and 

 many others." 



For the fruiting of seedlings and testing of new 

 kinds, the cordon for Pears is also a good j)lan, and 

 if the object be to cover a wall in a short time and 

 get a quick return, it is certainly the best way. 

 In this case it enables us to attain our ends in the 

 shortest space of time, and with the least possible 

 waste of space. 



Some of the leading teachers of fruit-culture in 

 France adopt the oblique cordon as the short way 

 to a quick return, and plant extensively the finest 

 varieties trained in this way ; but others ridicule 

 the planting of trees as closely as one would Cole- 

 worts. For the finest kinds of Winter Pears and 

 for culture on high walls it is well worth adopting, 

 provided the trees can be got at a low price, or grafted on the 

 spot. None but the very best kinds should be planted, and 

 to begin with, it would be desirable to plant a goodly number 

 of one kind known to succeed well in the neighbourhood rather 

 than a variety of sorts. The kinds known to do best in this 

 contracted form are *Beurre Supcrlin, Flemish Ik'uuty, Beurre 



Pear-tree trained as 

 a l^ertical Cordon. 

 This form is best 

 suited for very 

 high lualls, etc. 



