5S ^Iftcs and Gleanings. 



continental trash which is year by year forced upon us. It is, indeed, a first- 

 class pear ; and the standard is now placed high. It has been awarded a first- 

 class certificate by the fruit committee of the Royal Horticultural Societ)-. At 

 the first glance it greatly resembles a pale Louise Bonne of Jersey. The fruit is 

 large, pvriform, rather bulged in the centre. Skin smooth, pale yellow, slighdy 

 flushed, and streaked with crimson on the exposed side. Eye small, close, seg- 

 ments of the calyx pointed, set in a shallow basin, the end of the fruit being fre- 

 quently blunt Stalk about an inch long, stoutish, obUquely inserted without any 

 depression. Flesh white, delicate, buttery, and melting, very juicy, rich, and 

 vinous, exceedingly pleasant to eat, greatly resembling, in texture, the well-known 

 Marie Louise. This we welcome as a valuable addition, and congratulate the 

 raiser on his success. We beheve it wiU be sent out by Messrs. J. C. Wheeler 

 & Son, of Gloucester. English Jourtial of Horticulture. 



Pruxixg Grape ^"I^"ES. — In regard to \-ine pruning. Mr. D. Thomson re- 

 marks that, according to his experience, tested over and over again, the spur 

 yields a larger but less compact bunch, more likely to shank than the hard prod- 

 uce of the wood closer home, which yields a more compact, neat and service- 

 able bunch, and generally with larger berries and stiffer foot-stalks than the larger 

 buds farther up the shoot I hold it to be wrong, he says, to judge of the prod- 

 uce of a %nne by the size of the bunch. The aim of the family grape grower is fine 

 berries, and compact moderate-sized bunches in great numbers. Tested by fam- 

 ily usefulness, and commercially by the demand of the market, the smaller and 

 compact bunch takes precedence of the big bunch. If serviceable bunches are 

 wanted, he ad\-ises to prune back to one bud ; but if larger, looser, and less ser- 

 viceable bunches, then to cut to the fourth or fifth bud. 



Florist and Pomologist. 



LiTHOSPERML'M FRUTicosuii. — Those who are searching for beautiful winter 

 and spring flowering plants for cut flowers wiU find in this a xtxy \-aluable addi- 

 tion. A few weeks ago I lifted several plants of it from our herbaceous garden. 

 The plants, for they are of a somewhat procumbent habit, with a woody nature, 

 were well set with flowering points. I potted them, and put them into a pit in a 

 gentle heat, near the glass ; and since they have produced a fine lot of flowers of 

 the most beautiful blue color, and which have been most \-aluable for small bou- 

 quets amongst white flowers. Indeed, I know of no small flower that is of such 

 a beautiful blue at this season, equalling in color any of the finest Delphiniums. 

 It is of the greatest ad\-antage in the making up of bouquets to find materials 

 for the proper contrast of color. R. M., in Gard<:?ters Chronicle. 



Wintering Iresine Herbsti. — Keep the plants in the green-house where 

 they can have an abundance of light and air. They must not receive more 

 water at the root than is necessary to keep the foliage from flagging. 



^^Floral World. 



A New Thornless Gooseberry is advertised in England. 



