Notes and Gleanings. 29 



Pears in Devon. — We have received some unusually large specimens of 

 pears, grown by Mr. John Garland, gardener to Sir T. Dyke Acland, Bart., a( 

 Killerton, near Exeter. The largest is an Easter Beurre, measuring thirteen 

 and a quarter inches in circumference the long way over the stalk and eye (but, 

 of course, not including the stalk), and thirteen inches round the girth, and 

 weighing twenty and a quarter ounces. It had begun to pass, and had lost three- 

 quarters of an ounce ; Mr. Garland having weighed it twenty-one ounces. Glout 

 Morceau is twelve and a half inches in its long circumference, and eleven and a 

 half in girth ; weighing sixteen and a half ounces. Beurre de Ranee is thirteen 

 inches in its long circumference, and ten and a half in girth ; weight thirteen 

 ounces. Winter Nelis is ten inches in its long circumference, and nine and a 

 half in girth ; weight eight ounces. These are large specimens; and unfortu- 

 nately, in the case of the Easter Beurre and Glout Morceau, decay at the core 

 had begun, so that their true flavor could not be judged of Beurre de Ranee 

 is not yet ripe ; but Winter Nelis was in the highest degree in fine condition as 

 regards texture of flesh and richness of flavor. We have received from Mr. 

 Garland the following communication relating to these : — 



" Winter Nelis and Beurre de Ranee I planted ten years since, side by side, 

 on a wall having a southern aspect. Both are on the quince-stock. Easter 

 Beurre and Glout Morceau I planted side by side on a wall with a western aspect. 

 Both are on the pear-stock. 



" The soil is a heavy loam of good quality ; it being the top spit of an old pas- 

 ture, such as is generally known as first-rate melon-soil by gardeners. No ma- 

 nure has been used except to mulch the trees the first year after planting. The 

 garden is perfectly drained by Nature, being situated at the base and to the 

 south of a hill of volcanic origin, the top of which, generally known in this 

 neighborhood as Killerton Clump, was planted by the present Mr. Veitch's grand- 

 father. The hill is composed of solid rock, which is within twelve or eighteen 

 inches of the surface. 



" The branches of each tree are trained horizontally from a central stem, 

 three courses of bricks being the distance between the branches. Two years 

 after planting, I obtained four and five branches on each side in a season by 

 notching the central stem close above the bud I wished to break ; cutting deep- 

 est, or half through, above the lowest buds, the next notch above being less deep, 

 and the next proportionately less. The two top buds were not notched above, 

 as they were certain to break freely. By the above method, the growth of the 

 branches was very evenly regulated. At the end of the fourth year after plant- 

 ing, the branches had reached the top of the wall, or as near the top as they 

 could be trained ; there being fourteen on each side of the centre stem, and every 

 two being exactly opposite each other, or along the same joint of brickwork. 



" Every year since the above period, with the exception of Glout Morceau in 

 x866, the trees have all borne good crops of fruit. Winter Nelis bears so freely, 

 that I am obliged to thin the fruit every year to encourage growth at the points 

 of the branches. This season, the crop has been very heavy, and is also very 

 fine. I consider it the best pear of its season, it being so richly flavored, and 



