164 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[{ August 29, 1878. 
then as soon as the corn is harvested there are the Apples 
ready to be gathered. 
As to the actual fruit crop of this present season, my eye 
showed me that everywhere Plums were most abundant. There 
hanging in conspicuous numbers—and mark you, Plums unless 
very numerous are not conspicuous; but at railway stations, 
in orchards, in trim gardens, and many not yery trim, the 
trees were bending under the weight of the fruit. Then the 
shop windows, particularly the fruit shops of Worcester, were 
filled with piles of Plums, far more Plums than all other 
fruits put together. Then I noticed this peculiarity. as to 
Apples and Pears—while there were many trees with very little 
fruit on them, a large number with none at all on them, there 
were some few trees very heavily laden, and not of one variety 
either. I think this points to the fact that it was some case of 
particular shelter which such trees chanced to haye, and that 
the shortness of crop was not owing to any such cause as non- 
ripening of the wood. The varying of cropping irrespective of 
variety is, I notice, the case hereabouts. In one garden a Marie 
Louise Pear is almost breaking down, in another there is not 
one Pear on the tree. My own private experience is, I see, 
quite the opposite to that of some who have written in our 
Journal. I had, for instance, a full crop of Summer Doyenné, 
and these quite early in July. This variety when gathered at 
different periods, say a dozen at a time. and ripened in the 
house, is, I think, by far the best early Pear, and its flavour as 
treated above, not being allowed to ripen on the tree, is ex- 
cellent, and a dish of these very pretty Pears is most welcome 
to all. Then followed with me a good crop of Beurré Giffard, 
handsome in shape and colour but with a flavour somewhat 
peculiar, some people liking it very much, others positively 
disliking it; not so juicy either as the little Summer Doyenne, 
but in some respects greatly its superior. Jargonelles are a 
failure with me for the first time in many years, crop small, 
fruit small. Madame Treyve is coming on well, good in shape 
and a good crop, and there ends the list of my successes as to 
Pears. I have no Pears on many trees, for instance Seckle, 
Beurré Hardy, Beurré d’Amanlis, Winter Nelis, Napoléon, 
Williams’ Bon Chrétien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, and Joséphine 
de Malines. I have a few on Soldat d’Esperen, Beurré Diel, 
and a fair sprinkling on Bergamot d’Esperen. This exceed- 
ingly partial crop as to Pears seems to extend to every garden 
and without respect to special varieties. 
Inowcometo Apples. Asa rule, thecrop is very uncertain, 
one tree being loaded heavily, while another of the very 
same variety in the next garden has nothing whatever on it. 
Hawthornden has not failed me, but it does not show its 
wonted bright, smooth, unscarred face, but is all around me 
small and spotted. Having a particular eye to early eating 
Apples as being much needed, and yery welcome at dessert 
and also in the schoolroom, and among young folks generally, 
Ihave been tasting and marking these kind of Apples very 
particularly. First and foremostin beauty, aroma, and flayour 
amous the very early I must place Irish Peach. I am told 
that it is almost the only early Apple grown in Ireland, and 
verily brother Pat shows much wisdom. It is a few days 
after Margaret, and a fortnight behind Joanetting ;: but how 
Superior it is to each of these! Joanetting is the first of summer 
Apples as to time, Just as Summer Doyenné is among Pears, 
and this is a great point, for the first fruit, first ripe fruit, is 
from its earliness greatly to be treasured, as it is so much 
appreciated, but Irish Peach is vastly superior in all respects 
to Margaret. Then just at this time (August 23rd), we are 
eating Summer Golden Pippin, which I place next to Irish 
Peach. Verily our Doctor in his “Fruit Manual” is quite 
correct when he says, “This is one of the most delicious of 
summer Apples, and ought to form one of every collection 
however small. Flesh yellowish, firm, very juicy, with a rich, 
vinous, and sugary flavour.” I would also add that the aroma 
is most pleasing to the nose, something after the way of Irish 
Peach. Duchess of Oldenburg is doing well with me, its 
handsome shape and beautiful striped sides and pearly bloom 
are most pleasing. On theory, I should place it, as Rivers 
places it. among the kitchen Apples, and not K. and D. as 
Richard Smith does; still D. only as it is placed in the “ Fruit 
Manual.” By the way, I have since writing the above line 
turned to Dr. Hoge’s “ Fruit Manual ;” and that although in 
the body of the book, the descriptive part, the Doctor speaks 
of the Duchess of Oldenburg thus, “An exceedingly early 
dessert Apple of the first quality,” yet in the lists of select 
Apples, page 164, this Apple is placed among the kitchen sorts. 
I think this, perhaps our Doctor’s second thought, is the best. 
I have splendid crops on my pyramids of Cellini, Ecklinyille 
Seedling, and Winter Hawthornden, and what gems of Apples 
these are! The shape and size of these attract the attention of 
even an Apple-ignorant person. Perhaps Cellini in shape and 
marking bears the bell, but Ecklinville has a colour of its 
own and very pleasing, and it is a weighty Apple as well as a 
large one. 
And now for a sad trouble I have, and which has caused me 
to cook before their time all my Hcklinyilles and many of my 
Cellinis. A small bird, whether tomtit, or whitethroat, or 
linnet. for all three and more are blamed, contrives to pick a 
hole about half an inch from the stalk on the upper side as the 
fine fruit hangs. This hole is about the size of half a marble ; 
then follows a thunderstorm, and this is a thunderstorm sea- 
son, and the Apple rots. I have lost thus all my Ecklinyilles, 
many of my Cellinis. The birds have begun to attack Winter 
Hawthornden, Cox’s Orange Pippin, and have spoiled several 
Duchess of Oldenburghs, Whatever Apple fairly ripe hangs 
conveniently is sought out and ruined. Unlike blackbirds 
and thrushes they are not easily scared, but creep under pieces 
of muslin hung over the trees. If the rain does not come the 
way is opened for the wasps, which are thus enabled to go on 
and devour. The little birds are so quickly gone that I have 
never found one actually eating. This from being a highly 
game-preserved county has no hawks, and I have many woods 
and shrubberies around, so that I am bird-pestered. As a 
proof how numerous birds are here, a friend of mine killed 
forty-two blackbirds and thrushes. in his garden in two days. 
I fear, bird-lover though 1 be, I must get out my gun next 
year. 
To proceed with Apples. I have heavy but somewhat 
blighted crops of Lewis’s Incomparable; fair numbers of 
Devonshire Seedling, New Hawthornden, Cox’s Orange Pippin ; 
but not a Sturmer, an Alfriston, a Joanetting, a Striped Beefing, 
a Keswick Codlin, or a Tower of Glamis. 
Gooseberries haye been a poorcrop. Raspberries and Straw- 
berries excellent. Currants fair only; while Damson trees 
are blue with fruit. 
Ihave paid some special attention to Raspberries, and can 
speak well of the plan of growing on wires as being handy to 
gather and easier of protection from birds. The delicate 
flavour of the yellow varieties, to say nothing of their beauty, 
should cause them to be more generally grown, and certainly 
yellow Antwerps fruit as freely as any red. Carter’s Prolific 
is a noble berry, so Fastolf, and so also Fillbasket. But some 
sent me by a lady in Somersetshire with a dark stem, some- 
what late in ripening, exceed any Ihave. Their name I know 
not, nor can I identify them bythe “ Fruit Manual.” 
Thus forthe present end my words about fruit.— WILTSHIRE 
RECTOR. . 
P.S.—From a very good source I have heard this year of 
the great excellence of the Pitmaston Green Gage Gooseberry, 
but personally I am not acquainted with it. 
DEVON anp EXETER HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Tus old Society has attained its jubilee year, and after fifty 
years it has been found to have suffered a little from the vicissi- 
tudes of fortune. Wet weather on show days, an inadequate sub- 
scription list, a liberal prize list, and hospitable treatment of 
judges have all told their tale, and the funds are at their lowest. 
Under these circumstances the Society has been reorganised, and 
it is hoped that it will live for another fifty years. 
The courteous Hon. Secretary, Mr. T. W. Gray, who has for 
forty years conducted the business of the Society, has retired, and 
his place taken by Mr. C. B. Sanders. The Society has presented 
Mr. Gray with a very handsome testimonial, and also given him a 
complimentary dinner. 
This year there haye been two Shows, one in June and the 
latter last Friday. The usual Rose Show has not been held on 
account of the state of the finances ; however, on the 28rd inst. an 
exceedingly pretty Exhibition was held on Northernhay, and I do 
not think J ever attended a show where there was so much variety. 
Gladioli were exhibited by Mr. Kelway in fine form, Mr. Dobree of 
Wellington brought his matchless Dahlias, and Dr. Woodman 
filled one side of a huge tent with his splendid plants. Then in 
a large tent the Veitch memorial prize, offered for twelve kinds of 
vegetables, was competed for by a very large number of exhibitors, 
whose productions also filled one side of the tent. The prize was 
awarded to Mr. Drew of Powderham. In a smaller tent the centre 
table was occupied by the table decorations and the fruit, and Ido 
not know whether I have ever seen a better show of the latter. 
The table decorations were not so numerous as usual, and being 
confined to ladies the gardeners of the great county people could 
