614: THE FRUIT MANUAL. 



from a wall, it is richer in flavour. It is an uncertain bearer, and pro- 

 duces a great profusion of bloom, which tends to weaken the develop- 

 ment of fruit. It has, therefore, been recommended to thin out all the 

 small blooms with a pair of scissors, leaving only two or three on each 

 spur. Mr. Blackmore's experience of it at Teddington is that it is " a 

 very uncertain cropper. The fruit is too sweet, otherwise most 

 excellent. On a wall it loses flavour." 



This excellent variety was raised in 1809 by Abbe Duquesne, and named in 

 honour of Marie Louise, the consort of Napoleon. It was sent to this country in 

 1816, by Dr. Van Mons, to Mr. Braddick, of Thames Ditton, without a name, and 

 he planted it in a field as an open standard, where it succeeded so well and pro- 

 duced fruit so different in appearance to those growing against a wall that it was 

 considered a distinct variety, and was named Braddick's Field Standard. 



Marie Louise Delcourt. See Marie Louise. 

 Marie Louise Nova. See Marie Louise. 



MARIE LOUISE D'UCCLE. Fruit, rather large; pyriform. 

 Skin, marked with pale cinnamon-coloured russet, much in the way of 

 Marie Louise. Eye, large and open, with long leafy segments, set in 

 a considerable depression. Stalk, an inch long, curved, stout, and 

 obliquely inserted on the end of the fruit by the side of a fleshy lip. 

 Flesh, fine-grained, buttery, and melting, very juicy and richly flavoured. 



A first-rate pear ; ripe in the middle of October. Mr. Blackmore 

 says it is "not at all like the old Marie Louise, and not to be com- 

 pared with it, but tenfold the cropper." 



MARIETTE DE MILLEPIEDS. A very large, roundish obovate 

 fruit, very much covered with rough brown russet, and which is in use 

 from March till May. It is esteemed as of first quality on the Conti- 

 nent, but it never comes to much in our climate. 



Maroit. See Jaminette. 



Marotte Sucre. See Passe Colmar. 



MARQUISE (Marquise d'Hiver ; Marquis Pear ; Marchioness'). 

 Fruit, large ; obtuse pyriform. Skin, bright green, changing to yel- 

 lowish as it attains maturity, with a brownish tinge on the side next 

 the sun, thickly covered with dots, which are green on the shaded side 

 and brown or grey on the other. Eye, small and open, set in a wide, 

 even, and shallow basin. Stalk, an inch and a quarter long, inserted 

 on the apex without depression. Flesh, white, crisp, and with a plea- 

 sant sugary flavour. 



A dessert pear ; ripe in November and December. Excellent when 

 grown against a wall and in a warm, rich soil, otherwise it is worthless. 

 The tree is vigorous and fertile, succeeds well either on the pear or 

 quince ; but the fruit being large and liable to be blown down in high 

 winds, it should never be grown as a standard. This was a great 

 favourite in the last century. 



