1908.] Fruit and Vegetable Production. 



419 



Table pears are grown in gardens which are surrounded 

 with brick or stone walls, or sometimes by clay walls, which 

 in fact are considered the best. Espaliers are planted 10 ft. 

 apart and trained on the Leverrier system ; these are called 

 *- candelabres," or chandelier shape, and yield the finest 

 fruit, while another method is the " Palmette " or palm leaf 

 shape. The latter are planted 13 feet apart as they cover 

 more space. The " Leverrier " takes about three years 

 to yield fruit in any quantity, while the " Palmette " 

 requires at least five years. This latter system is much 

 practised as the trees last longer than the " Leverrier " and 

 attain a greater development on the walls, some covering 

 30 ft, and yielding between 250 and 300 fine pears. The 

 varieties cultivated on walls are Williams, Duchesse, Louise 

 Bonne, Doyenne du Cornice, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Clergeau, 

 Beurre superfin, Beurre d'Aremberg, Doyenne d'Hiver, 

 Olivier de Serres, Crassane, Passe Crassane, General Totleben, 

 and William Duchesse. The same varieties are grown in the 

 open part of the gardens as pyramids, being planted 13 ft. apart 

 each way. Those grafted on quince are preferred. The 

 grafting is always level with the ground and the young pear 

 trees are allowed to grow gradually, being pruned every 

 autumn. A tree planted 3 years after grafting takes 12 years 

 to come into full bearing and it may then produce 200 pears. 

 The fruit, of course, varies in size, but when there are signs 

 of an abundant crop, part of the fruit is plucked off when 

 about the size of a nut. 



Packing is a very important point with table pears, and the 

 greatest care is exercised. The fruit is put in layers in boxes 

 with wood fibre, from 36 to 70 William pears being put in 

 a box, according to size. 



The cultivation of gooseberries has been almost abandoned, 

 but red and white currants are largely grown. 



The following information respecting several French De- 

 partments where fruit and vegetable growing is carried on for 

 export has been supplied by Mr. A. P. Inglis, H.M. Consul- 

 GeneraL at Paris, and is taken from a publication of the 

 Ministty of Agriculture entitled " Notice sur le Commerce 

 des produils Agricoles," 1906. 



Cote d' Or.— In this Department agricultural produce 



2 D 2 



