64 THE MINIATUEE FRUIT GARDEN 



trees a drenching once a week with guano water (about- 

 one pound to ten gallons) and equal parts of soot, which 

 must be well stirred before it is used. Each tree should 

 have ten gallons poured gradually into the soil ; by this 

 method the finest fruit may be produced ; and as it is 

 very probable that ere many years elapse exhibitions of 

 pears will become very popular, this will be the mode to 

 procure fine specimens to show for prizes. I must also 

 here repeat that lime rubbish or chalk should be applied 

 to soils deficient in calcareous deposit ; I think that all 

 fruit trees would be benefited by a biennial dressing of 

 superphospate. Gas lime after an exposure of a month 

 or two may be advantageously mixed with the surface- 

 dressing of manure. Gypsum dissolved in water is a 

 very efficient fertiliser. 



Our oldest gardening authors have said that ' pears 

 engrafted on the quince stocks give their fairest fruit ' ; 

 and they are correct. It has been asserted that the 

 fruit is liable to be gritty and deficient in fiavour. I 

 can only say that from my trees growing on a cold 

 clayey soil, I have tasted fruit of Marie Louise, Louis 

 Bonne of Jersey, and others, all that could be wished 

 for in size and flavour. 



In the course of my experience, and since the above 

 recommendation to plant on mounds was written, I have 

 found it good practice in very d/ry soils to plant pear 

 trees on the quince stock with the junction of the graft 

 just level with the surface, so as not to require mounds 

 round their stems. The first season they should have 



