January 5, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



11 



An excellent Pear, with a fine acidnloua flavour, ripe in the 

 beginning of October, and continuing in use throughout the 

 mouth. 



The tree is a good bearer, and forms a handsome pyramid. 



SIiLLOT DE Nancy. — We have here a posthumous variety of 

 Van Mons', of which the earliest information we have is in 

 1843, when it was named by the son of the Professor in honour 

 of M. Millot, 01 Nancy, an ardent pomologist. We have grown 

 it for the last twenty years in this country, and proved it to be 

 of the highest excellence. In some seasons, as for instance in 

 1866, it was somewhat astringent in flavour, but generally it 

 has proved excellent. 



Millot de Nancy. 



The fruit is roundish, inclining to turbinate, even and hand- 

 some in its outline. The skin is smooth, of a uniform coppery 

 red or warm cinnamon colour caused by a coating of russet 

 over its whole surface, and dotted with ashen grey dots. Eye 

 rather small and open, set almost level with the surface. 

 Stalk about an inch long, woody, fleshy at the base, straight, 

 and obliquely inserted in a very slight depression. Flesh 

 whitish, half melting, very juicy and tender, rich, sweet, brisk, 

 highly flavoured, and with a fine perfume. 



It is a first-rate Pear, ripe in October, and during November. 



PORTRAIT OF MR. RIVERS. 

 The following additional subscriptions have been received : — 



£ g. d. 



Barron, Mr. A. E., Chiswick 10 6 



Eivett, Mr., Stratford, Essex 1 1 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



It is hoped that, in accordance with repeated injunctions, 

 the wheeling of manure and trenching-up vacant quarters 

 in this department have been regularly and systematically 

 followed up in favourable weather. Let this kind of work be 

 continued as often as opportunity oiiers. All green refuse and 

 decayed matter when trenched-in should be strewed over with 

 lime to hasten decomposition and destroy insects. Choose also 

 the opportunity of dry frosty mornings to fork-up ground pre- 

 viously trenched, so as to get the surface in good working order ; 

 if severe weather continue but little can be advised in the way 

 of cropping. If, however, a change take place and the ground 

 can be worked, the first opportunity must be seized to make 

 a second sowing of Broad Beans and Peas on a warm border. 

 Sow a moderate breadth of Early Horn Carrot and Short-top 

 Radish, to be sown in drills alternately, covering with healthy 



sandy soil, and protecting with any available matter. An ex- 

 cellent method of fastening down such mateiial is to place 

 long willow rods at convenient distances, pegging them down 

 at each end with a strong hook. Caidijlotcers under hand- 

 lights require constant attention. Keep the surface stirred. 

 An excellent plan to catch slugs among these is to split large 

 Carrots and lay the pieces about the plants ; by picking tbetu 

 off on mild mornings, an immense number of slugs may bs 

 taken. 



FRUIT GAEDEN. 



Continue the pruning and nailing of the hardier kinds of 

 fruit trees at every opportunity, have a good plank to stand 

 upon, and if very cold wear also a large pair of wooden cIokf. 

 No considerate master will ever censure a man for being careful 

 of his health. In pruning and nailing wall trees let them be 

 entirely removed from the wall, which should be swept with a 

 birch iDrocm, if there is any fear of insects lodging in the 

 crevices ; the trees should then be renailed with fresh nails and 

 shreds, using as few as possible, and of strength according to 

 the size of the branches. The pruning of Currants and Goose- 

 berries should be deferred for a time, as if sharp weather 

 prevail during this and part of next month, birds are apt to be 

 very destructive to the buds. Prune espalier Apple and Pi.ar> 

 trees, and fork-up the ground about them in frosty weather 

 to disturb and destroy insects. In the orchard thin out cross 

 and crowded branches from Apples, Pears, and Quinces, it is a 

 great mistake to leave too much wood. Scrape oS moss and 

 lichen from the stems, and if time will serve, dress both tbefo 

 and espalier trees with a mixture of quicklime and clay 

 brought to the consistence of thick paint. If this be done well,- 

 there will be no need to scrape them for some years. 



FLOWER GAEDEN. 



All is hard as adamant here ; we can do little until the Snow- 

 drops begin to peep up. Some kinds of ground work may be 

 proceeded with, and the mattock or pick will be in request.. 

 Should the present severe weather continue, the chief oper- 

 ations will consist in giving additional protection, and in 

 covering those plants which in ordinary seasons it is not nr- 

 cessary to protect. Roses must have additional coverings to 

 the roots — such as litter, moss, leaves, or sawdust, and the tops 

 must be protected with straw, hay, fern, or evergreen boughs — 

 in fact, anything of the kind, and the drier, the material used 

 the better. The same remarks apply to climbers on walls ; 

 over these mats may also be fastened, for although coverings 

 are not required to be firm, the mats are useful in keeping the 

 other materials dry and clean. Auriculas will now begin to 

 require some extra attention independently of keeping them 

 perfectly clear of dead leaves, which must be removed very 

 gently for fear of injuring the root or stock. They may in 

 mild weather have an occasional watering, carefully guarding 

 against any moisture remaining in the heart. Give all the air 

 possible, taking care to cover the frames well at night. Look 

 over the beds of Pinks and Pansies ; plants which have but 

 lately been removed are very liable to be raised by the frost; 

 these must be carefully fastened by pressing the soil gently to 

 them when it is tolerably dry. The soil which has been 

 exposed to the action of the frost, may the first fine day be 

 returned to the Ranunculus beds in order that they may settle 

 down before planting. Carnations must be carefully gone 

 over, those in beds fastened if loose, and cleared of dead leaves, 

 which when lodged on the plants retain moisture which is 

 injurious to them. 



GKEENHOUSH AND CONSEKVATORY. 



Keep the conservatory at a temperature of about 45° by night, 

 raising it to 55° in the day, with plenty of air at every favour- 

 able opportunity. Keep the atmosphere moderately moist, as 

 much for the preservation of the flowers as for the comfort of 

 the visitors. Keep every part of the house as clean as possible. 

 Remove flowers as soon as they become shabby, and endeavour 

 to concentrate the floral beauty of the place in this one house> 

 Stove plants will suffer no injury for a few days in the above 

 temperature, but hardwooded greenhouse plants, as Heaths, 

 should not remain more than a few days at a time in such a 

 temperature. Take care that the Camellias do not suSer from 

 want of water now they are blooming. Prune, train, and clean 

 the climbers on the rafters, &c. The greenhouse in the gene- 

 rality of establishments is a mixed affair, where hardwooded 

 and softwooded plants are obliged to be together. In such 

 places a compromise must be made in the treatment by keep- 

 ing it a few degrees warmer than Heaths and other Cape plants 

 require, and yet sufficiently warm for Pelargoniums, Calceo- 



