keepi:n'G- peaes. 



77 



I de Chaumontelle, Beurre d'Hiver, AVinter Beurre, and 

 i Oxford ChaumoDtelle. It is a hardy tree, grows well as a 

 ! standard or espalier; but of course the fruit is finest in 

 a warm, favourable locality. It does best when grafted 

 on the quince stock. AVhen the trees are planted in 

 good soil, with a favourable aspect, the branches kept 

 ^ well apart, only strong spurs allowed, and the fruife 

 j abundantly thinned out, the pears reach an amazing size. 

 ! In Jersey, the Chaumontelle pears form a staple product, 

 and there are few even private gardens, the owners of 

 which do not sell their pears for the supply of the 

 London market. 



We now come to a period of the year when fruit is 

 scarce indeed, when pears are getting very rare and ex- 

 pensive, and when even our apple stores give in. There 

 are three kinds w^hich should be especially looked after 

 I for giving a supply from the time the Chaumontelies are 

 '! used up until May, and as nearly on to June as can be: 

 they are Easter Beurre, 'Beurre Eance, and J osephine de 

 Malines. 



The Easter Beurre is a splendid pear, and one that 

 keeps almost the best of any, but unfortunately it is a 

 most uncertain bearer. Some trees will bear fine crops 

 of splendid fruit year after year, and others may be 

 treated with the greatest care, and borne with for many 

 years, but seem obstinately bent on making positively no 

 return, yet it is so excellent where it does do well as. to 

 have many synonymes : in Erance it is well known as 

 Beurre de la Pentecote, Bergamotte de la Pentecote, 

 Beurre de Paques, Beurre d'Hiver de Bruxelles, and 

 Doyenne d'Hiver. The result of my experience of the 

 excellence of this capital late pear, and the difficulty of 

 getting it, is not on any account to advise cultivators to 

 do without it, for no garden should be without it, but to 

 take especial pains to get good, productive Easter Beurres, 

 and then to give them the care they deserve ; mind not 

 to plant trees from any stock unless it is known to be 

 good and productive. In Jersey, the very land of pears, 

 the Easter Beurre is uncertain as elsew^iere. The fruit 

 is large, and rather round, green, turning to russety- 



