132 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



nian soils and climate evidently suit some 

 varieties of Pear admirably, and they are not 

 short-lived either, for trees are in existence 

 there. and still producing fruits which are known 

 to have been planted for 125 years. The fruits 

 also attain considerable size, and the samples 

 that reach us are remarkable for their fresh 

 clear skins and bright colour as well as rich 

 flavour. The chief favourite is the Bartlett, our 

 Williams' Bon Chretien, which, owing to the 

 varied climatal characters of the different dis- 

 tricts in California, can be placed on the markets 

 over a period of four or five months, namely, 

 from July to November, both extremes being 

 exceptional, and the bulk of the produce would 

 not extend beyond two or three months. Many 

 other Pears esteemed in Britain and France are 

 favourites in California, such as Beurre Diel, 

 Doyenne du Cornice, Glou Morceau, Winter Nelis, 

 Easter Beurre, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Yicar 

 of Winkfield, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Bosc, 

 Duchesse d'Angouleme Seckle, Beurre Hardy, 

 Souvenir du Congres, and Clapp's Favourite. 

 There are also some that are at present mainly 

 confined to Californian growers, namely, Dana's 

 Hovey or Winter Seckle, Lawson or Comet, 

 Dearborn's Seedling, Bloodgood, Harvest or 

 Sugar Pear, Early Wilder, P. Barry, and Block's 

 Acme. Some of these are grown for local sale 

 chiefly, but others like the last-named — -Acme 

 — reach the London markets in excellent con- 

 dition. 



All the Californian Pears intended for Euro- 

 pean markets have to be gathered well in 

 advance of their ripening period, and the 

 greatest care is bestowed upon this matter, the 

 selection, grading, and packing. All the best 

 Pears are shipped in wooden boxes or cases 

 holding a few dozen fruits each; every fruit is 

 separately wrapped in paper, which usually 

 bears the name of the grower in prominent 

 letters, and the name of the variety is stamped 

 on the boxes. The result of this superlative 

 care and attention to details is that the Cali- 

 fornian Pears command a sale at prices largely 

 in excess of the inferior samples with which our 

 markets are frequently flooded, and sufficient 

 to pay the growers a substantial interest on 

 their outlay, notwithstanding the long distances 

 the fruit has to travel. The American Pomo- 

 logical Society has recorded an instance where 

 a company exported Pears very extensively, 

 and were able to pay a dividend of 50 per cent; 

 but how long this continued we do not know, 

 obviously it must be quite an exceptional case. 



The Colonial Pear Trade. — Apples we have 



received in abundance from Tasmania for some 

 years, but the colonial Pear trade has been 

 very limited; now there are indications of con- 

 siderable development in some directions. From 

 South Africa Pears have been exported to Britain 

 for several years, but lately there has been a 

 material increase, as the trees planted some 

 time since are coming into bearing. Boxes of 

 Williams' Bon Chretien, from the Hex River 

 district in Cape Colony, were put on the Lon- 

 don markets in 1900 and 1901 in excellent con- 

 dition, and these supplies are certain to increase 

 largely, as they reach here at a time when they 

 do not affect either the European or American 

 trade to any great extent. In some districts 

 of South Africa the Pear thrives remarkably, 

 growing very quickly into finely-developed pro- 

 lific trees. We have heard of plantations only 

 I formed within the past five years where the 

 trees already exceed 20 feet in height. 



Large consignments of Pears also reach us 

 from Belgium and the Channel Islands, but as 

 they display no special characteristics as apart 

 from the French trade, they do not need par- 

 ticular reference here. 



The Home Trade in Pears. — It is evident that 

 the British grower who has to face the competi- 

 tion indicated in the preceding notes requires 

 both skill and business acumen to give him a 

 chance in the struggle. It is useless attempting 

 to grow Pears for the leading markets where 

 the conditions will not permit the production 

 of first-rate fruit. The sorts to be grown must 

 be selected with care, and all the other details 

 that affect the selling value must have the closest 

 attention. 



With all the difficulties arising from our 

 climatal variability, there are situations where, 

 by taking an average of several years, Pears 

 can be made to pay satisfactorily, and there is 

 room for extension. Ample evidence of this is 

 afforded by the official Report on Flower and 

 Fruit Farming in England, prepared by Mr. 

 William E. Bear, under the direction of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society in 1899. This com- 

 jDrehensive review indicates some of the most 

 successful growers and plantations throughout 

 the best districts of England, which, as regards 

 Pears, are chiefly confined to the southern and 

 western counties. In the metropolitan market- 

 gardens, especially those west of London, Pears 

 have been largely grown for many years, and 

 profitable results have been secured wherever 

 the situation has been well chosen, and the 

 greatest care has been bestowed upon the cul- 

 ture and marketing. As the density of the 





