192 Queries and Answers. 



flower at the extremity. I do not leave to chance the impregnating of such 

 flowers, but carefully impregnate both kind of females. Should Mrs. Fairlie 

 have no other Passiflora but ediilis, I would recommend the P. /aurifolia 

 (water lime), and the P. quadrangularis (granadilla), both of which we grow 

 for their fruit. They, however, will require a little more attention when in 

 flower, as they do not set their fruit well unless artificially fecundated. As 

 we have to perform the operation with many plants in the season, I generally 

 devote from 11 to 12 o'clock; not that that time is better than every other, 

 but finding that, when a certain portion of time is set apart for doing any 

 business, the chances of its being well performed are greater than when the 

 order to do so is only given. — G. M. Elliot. Ripley Castle, Ripley, Yorkshire, 

 Jan. 25. 1842. 



Standard Pear Trees suitable for the Climate of Inverness. — Although I may 

 not build immediately, yet 1 must not delay planting and getting rid of a lot 

 of bad apple trees grown in any shape that nature ordered, which 1 intend 

 replacing by pears. You would oblige me much by giving me a list say fif- 

 teen, of the best standard pears which you"know, from the earliest to the latest 

 keeping sorts, which you think ought to answer in the latitude of Inverness, 

 where we regularly grow and ripen excellent peaches and nectarines on the 

 wall, even in unfavourable seasons. In this country good pears are all but 

 unknown, while apples are run upon till they have become a perfect drug, and 

 few gardens have two pear trees for every twenty apple trees. I have got 

 Citron des Carmes, wall ; Crawford or Lammas, and Camack, standards ; 

 Beurre d'Aremberg, Beurre Diel, Beurre Ranee, Beurre de Paques, Na- 

 poleon, Marie Louise, Hazel, Hacon's Incomparable, and Jargonelle, wall: 

 but I want fifteen to twenty others for the garden as standards, and having no 

 dictionary to direct me, but your Encyclopedia, edition of 1 828, which is now 

 a little aged perhaps in the pear department, I am induced to trespass on 

 your kindness, the first leisure hour you can spare, for a list of such standard 

 pears as you would advise my planting. Of course, quantity of produce, as 

 well as quality of fruit, will be considered. — D. M. Jan. 25. 1842. 



The sorts recommended are : Williams's Bon Chretien, Dunmore, Aston 

 Town, Fondante d'Automne, Seckle, Louise Bonne (of Jersey), Beurre 

 Bosc, Althorp Crassane, Van Mons Leon le Clerc, Thompson's Winter 

 Crassane (Knight's), Glout Morceau, Passe-Col mar, Nelis d'Hiver, Knight's 

 Monarch, Ne Plus Meuris. If more than fifteen plants are wanted, we re- 

 commend the remainder to be of the Glout Morceau. — Cond. 



Art. V. Queries and Answers. 



INCREASING the Flavour of Fruit by alternate Heat and Cold. — Are you aware 

 that the flavour of fruits can be much improved by exposing them to con- 

 siderable heat, and suddenly cooling them ; of course I do not mean such a 

 heat as could injure their texture. The effect is most remarkable in wines : 

 for experiment, bring a bottle of Madeira from the cellar in the morning and 

 expose it to the sun or warm atmosphere, carrying it back again into the 

 cellar for a sufficient length of time to cool before drinking ; the wine will be 

 so improved in flavour as hardly to be recognised for the same. — C. P. F. H. 

 April 16. 1840. 



We have long been aware of this mode of improving the flavour of Madeira, 

 and we know of some instances in which there is a bin in the pine stove and 

 another in the outer ice-house for the purpose, the key of each being kept by 

 the butler : but we do not see what this has to do with improving the 

 flavour of fruits, such as the peach or the pine-apple. — Cond. 



