104 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



command to combat the evils arising from un- 

 favourable conditions. But we have known 

 Pears planted in quantities with a view to 

 profit where various causes have combined to 

 render them a dead loss, yet most of the un- 

 suitable conditions might with due care have 

 been detected before the risk was taken. 



Districts for Pears. — There are districts in 

 many of the southern and western counties of 

 England where Pears are particularly successful, 

 but it is occasionally difficult to distinguish 

 between natural advantages and specially skil- 

 ful cultivation. Kent is obviously a favoured 

 county generally, yet in the neighbourhood of 

 Maidstone, Sittingbourne, and Yalding excep- ' 

 tional results have been obtained, as, for i 

 example, at Barham Court, Mote Park, and 

 Kenward as private establishments, and by Mr. 

 A. J. Thomas and Messrs. Bunyard in com- 

 mercial establishments, the former as a market- 

 grower, the latter as a nurseryman. In Sussex 

 the Uckfield, Horsham, and Crawley districts 

 are well suited to Pears, especially the first- 

 named, while Petworth has also contributed in 

 no small degree to the production of fine Pears. 

 In Surrey the fruit succeeds in many districts, 

 but exceptional results are rare. Of the western 

 counties, Hereford, Somerset, Worcester, and 

 Dorset give the best general success; but there 

 are districts in Devon, Cornwall, and Gloucester 

 where the culture of this fruit might be ex- 

 tended with advantage. The eastern counties 

 are not specially adapted for Pears, except in a 

 few sheltered and warm situations; but in 

 Essex good results are obtained in many places. 



In the midland counties the principal suc- 

 cesses with the fruit are scored in private 

 gardens, under the most experienced men; 

 generally, as regards the colder central districts, 

 on heavy land, the fruit is not seen at its best. 

 In Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Not- 

 tinghamshire, in some favoured localities with 

 fertile soils, Pears are grown with considerable 

 success. The fruit deteriorates in the northern 

 counties of England and the eastern counties of 

 Scotland from bush or standard trees, but with 

 the aid of walls a considerable measure of success 

 is secured even to the extreme north. In part 

 of Wales, especially in the south, Pears are 

 satisfactory, and an admirable example of what 

 can be accomplished with pyramid trees is seen 

 at Cardiff Castle. In Ireland also the climate 

 is generally favourable, at least along the east 

 coast from Antrim to Cork; and wherever the 

 soil and local conditions are suitable, good fruits 

 are obtained. In fact, Pear culture might be 



profitably extended in several parts of Ireland, 

 as, though the extreme humidity in the south is 

 not favourable to the fullest development of 

 flavour, yet as regards size much success could 

 be obtained, and fine Pears have a material 

 commercial value. 



Situation. — Even in favourable localities the 

 situation in regard to shelter, elevation, and 

 aspect must be carefully considered. The Pear 

 is hardy enough naturally, but the young foliage 

 is produced very early in the season, and in its 

 then delicate condition is perhaps more easily 

 injured by wind than by any other cause. The 

 flowers also expand at an early and critical 

 time, and they are quite as liable to destruction 

 by keen dry winds as by frost. We have seen 

 the prospect of many fine crops ruined by winds 

 that seemed to scorch and shrivel the petals and 

 the essential organs. Shelter, then, is a con- 

 sideration of the first importance, especially 

 from north and east winds. Protection from 

 south-west winds is equally essential, for the 

 majority of Pears are more easily bruised and 

 rendered practically useless than Apples, and 

 when a heavy crop is ripening, exposure to one 

 gale is sufficient to bring them all to the ground, 

 or at least to materially reduce the value of the 

 fruit. If there is no natural shelter either in 

 the form of timber plantations, rising ground, 

 or buildings, belts or hedges should be planted 

 as indicated in the chapter on Apples. All such 

 protection must be at a sufficient distance, to 

 avoid soil exhaustion by the tree roots in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the Pears, and 

 over-shading must be similarly guarded against. 



Elevation is an item of importance amongst 

 the conditions demanding attention. The dan- 

 gers attending low situations have already been 

 pointed out, and if these are serious in the case 

 of the Apple they are still more so with regard 

 to the Pear. Indeed, it is useless attempting to 

 grow Pears in low positions subject to spring 

 frosts, as, though the trees themselves may 

 thrive and flower, a crop of fruit will seldom be 

 secured. Still, it must be remembered that the 

 requisite elevation is more relative than abso- 

 lute, and that the more inland the position the 

 higher the altitude must be to give a reasonable 

 prospect of safety. (See chapter on Apples.) 



Aspect is important in reference to Pear 

 culture, the best dessert varieties, especially 

 the early and midseason sorts, requiring the 

 fullest exposure to sunlight to perfect them. 

 The Pear demands a higher temperature than 

 the Apple to develop its finest qualities, and this 

 is one reason why in France and Belgium many 



