Leach the grower the way of bringing out the points of their 

 . the art had been entirely lost : this information 

 and knowledge being absolutely necessary to ensure their main- 

 taining the reputation which, as we said, led to their introduction. 

 Hence, although all these varieties named grew and thrived well, 

 and were originally distributed in the surrounding districts, to 

 wit, Stellenbusch. Somerset West. Paarl, and indeed in all the 

 old villages and in many of the old farms established early in the 

 century, they gradually dropped out of favour, and the farmers 

 fell back on the few varieties which grew readily and most 

 strongly, and which were easily propagated by suckers ; in fact 

 Horticulture as an art never took root here. We can readily 

 follow up our idea by taking the characteristics of some of the 

 different varieties named. 



The Doyenne D'Ete (December Pear) has been retained 

 generally throughout the country because it is very early, in fact 

 the earliest ripener still in the country, and if picked green is 

 pleasant and good to eat. 



The Bon Chretien had been discarded because it needed pick- 

 ing green and hard, and if not picked in this state was found when 

 still on the tree rotten at the core. The Winter Xelis had been 

 discarded because it was small, unattractive in appearance, and 

 bullet hard. The Easter Beurre likewise was bullet hard, and 

 used for pig's food ; these two latter were rejected, the former 

 being too small and the latter not exactly too hard, but at all 

 events not equal to Winter Saffron, it neither bore so well, grew 

 so strongly, nor tasted so well. 



Some of our readers may think we are too hard on the 

 descendants of 'the introducers of these valuable varieties; we, 

 however, claim that we are not so. 



Some will say. oh yes, but where were the markets for these 

 good varieties? Farmers could not sell them. That is the 

 reason why they were gradually rejected by those who trekked 

 North. South-east and W 7 est. This is a plausible excuse but will 

 not bear analyst. Because at the time of our landing here, 

 Peninsula growers with a few exceptions were entirely ignorant 

 of the names, value and manner of picking to get the necessary 

 results, in fact scores of times we have had the fine varieties 

 mentioned above abused by those on whose places old trees were 

 standing for one or other reason, which only showed they were 

 quite ignorant of the way to treat the fruit to secure good results. 

 To sum up. we will put it again, Horticulture as a science never 

 took root in this country, because no steps were taken to dis- 

 ^eminate knowledge the introduction of good fruits being con- 

 -idered all that was required. We, however, know that even to 

 tlr's day it is thoroughly recognised that it is perfectly useless to 

 put into hands of growers even the very best fruit trees without 



