382 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



good Pears, which, as standards, will ripen in our country under 

 any fair conditions, such Pears as Beurre Giffard, Jargonelle, Beiirre 

 Goubault, Beurre Dumont, Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre Hardy, 

 Fondante des Bois, Louise Bonne, Rousselet de Reims, Doyenne du 

 Cornice, Marie Louise, Urbaniste, Soldat Laboureur, Triomphe de 

 Jodoigne, Comtesse de Paris, Nouvelle Fulvie, Bergamotte Saumier, 

 diaries Cognee, Doyenne dAlen^on, Josephine de M alines, Suzette 

 de Bavay. 



Much has been said of late about the advantages and dis- 

 advantages of planting in grass ; but most growers of Kent and 

 other orchard counties have long known that in hop, arable, and 

 any other land, the trees show quicker growth and greater vigour 

 at first. It is not everyone, however, that cares to break up grass 

 to plant an orchard, and we can do very well without grass by 

 mulching the ground round each tree for a few years, until they 

 have gained a good hold. 



These words were fresh penned when I came across the follow- 

 ing notes by M. Charles Baltet of Troyes. " The habit, the foliage, 

 and the fruit of the Pear tree will leave nothing to be desired, no 

 matter in what soil or climate it may be grown. Prolific, large- 

 fruited varieties such as Beurrd de I' Assumption, William, Van 

 Marum, and others, will always be a delight to the fruit lover, 

 but the artist who looks for effect from the natural appearance of 

 the trees, if he wishes for luxuriant growth will find it in the Pear 

 known as the Curt, Conseillier de la Cour, and others. Beurr^ 

 Hardy, Vanquelin, and Duke de Nemours have long upright 

 branches ; those of the Beurre d'A manlis, Bon Chretien, and 

 Triomphe de Jodoigne spread out more or less horizontally, or even 

 curve downwards ; Arbre courbe and Nouvelle Fulvie would not be out 

 of place as drooping trees ; while we may admit a group of Pear trees 

 which grow as natural pyramids, such as Fondante du Panisel, 

 Beurr/ de Nantes, Fondante de Noel, Beurre* d'Angleterre, and a 

 number of others, including Charles Ernest. 



" The beautiful foliage of the Sucree de Montlu^on, Delpierre, and 



Triomphe de Jodoigne, is rivalled by that of the Mikado and Daimyo, 



two varieties of Japanese origin, with large, thick, 



Pear foliage and somewhat cottony leaves. The German 

 effects. Kopertscher, the Belgian Delices de Jodoigne, the 



American Philadelphia, the French Gil-6-Gile, pre- 

 sent the same characteristic." 



Mr. Baltet omits to notice the fine colour of the leaves of many 

 Pear trees in autumn, and I find that this seems to be intensified 

 in the few trees I have on their natural roots. 



" The observer who notices the features of each variety knows that 



