Pomological Notices. 639 



Art. II. Pomological Notices; or, Notices qfneiv Fi'uits, tuhich have 

 beeti proved, during the past Year, to deserve general Cultivation in 

 British Gardens. By Mr. Robert Thompson, Fruit-Gardener in 

 the Horticultural Society's Garden. 



That the selections of fruits which have been already pub- 

 lished include too great a number of varieties, is a fact to vi^hich 

 most cultivators will, I believe, readily assent; still I consider, that 

 although they were divested of every objectionable superfluity, yet 

 they would not be in that perfect state to which they will doubtless 

 be ultimately brought by the progressive advancement of horti- 

 culture. If such reduction were now made, there would either 

 be blanks in the supply for some periods of the season, or culti- 

 vators would be limited occasionally to a variety which, in many 

 situations, would not be suitable. No new varieties should, 

 however, be brought into notice, unless they possess fair claims 

 to superiority in regard to the following particulars : first, in- 

 trinsic value, or richness of flavour; secondly, productiveness; 

 thirdly, hardiness ; fourthly, season- of ripening. Flavour is the 

 first and greatest consideration; and, accordingly, no varieties 

 are intended to be brought forward in the following notices, 

 unless they possess a good share of merit in this respect, what- 

 ever their other properties may be. 



The season has been unfavourable for fruits in general. The 

 spring was very cold, and even frosty, about the time of blos- 

 soming, although this was considerably later than usual ; and 

 many of the strongest blossoms, from being the most forward, 

 were cut off". Such of the rudiments as escaped were brought 

 on tolerably well during the short period that could be termed 

 summer weather. There was, however, a great want of sunshine 

 from the beginning of the month of September, and the nights 

 were frequently unusually cold; so that the ripening was imperfect. 



Of the hitherto unknown sorts that have this year fruited, for 

 the first time, in the Society's Garden, many have proved of infe- 

 rior quality ; others so little above mediocrity, as to render them 

 unworthy of recommendation, whilst there are already so many 

 superior ones known ; and a considerable number have proved 

 synonymous. The merits of part of the production, of course, 

 remain to be decided. 



The pears form the only class in which anything of sufficient 

 interest for noticing has been discovered. 



Fifigal's Pear, or Ellanriocli, is a hardy variety, obtained 

 from Inverness, and is said to succeed better than any other in 

 the Isle of Skye; in which, or in some of the adjoining isles, 

 the original tree was found. The fruit, from a standard, is large; 

 ripening about the same time as Williams's bon Chretien, to 

 which it is considered preferable. It is the only pear from 

 Scotland that I would recommend. 



