60 THE MINIATURE FRUIT GARDEN. 



camellias watered just as if the pears were not 

 there. In severe frosts, the temperature was kept 

 just above freezing. The autumn pears under this 

 treatment ripened slowly, and were of excellent 

 flavor. The late pears kept till April ; but then, 

 owing to the power of the sun, the air of the house 

 became too warm and dry, and they shrivelled. I 

 should therefore recommend winter pears to be kept 

 in the greenhouse in covered pots or jars (I now use 

 large clean flower-pots with wooden covers), placing 

 them in early in December, 



Mr. Tillery, of the Wellbeck Gardens, keeps his 

 choice pears and apples in boxes of bran with great 

 success. The bran, before it is used, should be 

 thoroughly dried and sifted, so as to take from it all 

 the small particles of meal. With this treatment 

 pears and apples may be placed in it as soon as they 

 are gathered. The boxes should be quite shallow, so 

 as to admit of only one layer of fruit, which should 

 be covered with the bran, and no lids placed on the 

 boxes. The bran is apt to become musty. 



PYRAMIDAL APPLE TREES ON THE PARADISE APPLE 

 STOCK. 



Apples as pyramids on the Paradise stock are ob- 

 jects of great beauty and utility. This stock, like the 

 quince, is remarkable for its tendency to emit numerous 

 fibrous roots near the surface, and for contracting the 

 growth of the graft, causing it to become fruitful at a 

 very early stage. On the Continent there are two 

 varieties of the apple under this denomination viz., 

 the Doucin and the I?omme de Paradis ; these are 



