30 Hints on Vegetable and Fruit Farming. 



in gardens. Pears can be grown just as well as apples 

 upon bushes and pyramids, and any one may have the finest 

 fruit in his garden, in the garden of the farm and in the fruit- 

 plantation, at a small expense, with but a little attention, and 

 quickly. The old saying that one " plants pears for his heirs " is 

 no longer applicable. For bushes, well-selected Quince stocks 

 are grafted close to the ground. For standards, clean pear-stems 

 are grafted at standard height. In America pears are exten- 

 sively grown upon bushes. Some time ago an account was 

 given in an American paper of the return of a dwarf-pear plan- 

 tation, which was 120/. per acre, at ten years old. The best 

 sorts of pears for ordinary culture are Doyenne d'Ete, Chalk 

 (July) ; Lammas, Windsor, Caillot, Rosat, Bellissime d'Au- 

 tomne (August) ; Williams' Bon Chretien, Yat, Bergamot, 

 Hessle — a very prolific pear, Marie Louise, Eyewood (Septem- 

 ber) ; Beurre Bosc (October) ; Beurre de Capiaumont, Duchesse 

 d'Angouleme, Rondelet, Catillac, Bishop's Thumb, Broom Park. 

 For pyramids or bushes, the following sorts are suited : — 

 Doyenne d'Ete, Beurre Giffard, Beurre d'Assomption, Souvenir 

 du Congres, Gratioli of Jersey, Beurre Superfin, Beurre Hardy, 

 Doyenne du Com^ice, Pitmaston Duchess, Fondante d'Automne, 

 Winter Nelis, Olivier de Serres, Easter Beurre, Beurre Ranee. 

 For the farm-garden the best kinds of pears that might be 

 grown, either on standards, pyramids, or bushes, or espaliers, 

 are the Souvenir de Congres, Beurre Clairgeau, Louis Bonne of 

 Jersey, Durondeau, Beurre Superfin. These are remarkably 

 fine pears, and may be sent to market by the dozen, and will 

 always find a sale at good prices. 



Pears and apples that ripen in the winter require to be 

 carefully kept in a dry well-ventilated chamber, with an even 

 temperature, and laid upon stout laths set an inch and a half 

 apart to allow circulation of air. A series of trays placed one 

 above the other, running in grooves, is the best form, as they can 

 be pulled out and the fruit examined. They should frequently 

 be examined, and sent to market when ready.* It would pay 

 well to consign brilliant-coloured and, indeed, all the finer 

 fruit, especially that grown on bushes, in small, well-made, 

 bright-looking baskets or boxes, set off with pink or white 



♦ It is too much the custom for large fruit-growers to send their apples and 

 pears to market straight from the tree, and then they wonder that they malce 

 poor prices. No doubt they are wise in sending off the conunon kinds, for whit-h 

 there is generally a ready sale for smashing ; but it is a sacrifice to consign fruit 

 that would keep well with care until February and IMarch, to salesmen in 

 October or November. Some Kent fruit-growers keep apples and pears in oast- 

 houses, which are fairly suitable. All large fruit-growers who wish to make the 

 full value of their fruit, must arrange proi)cr places for storing it until it is 

 properly fit for use. 



