610 



NOTES OF A HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



to fill up neatly and permanently a space that otherwise 

 could not be usefully occupied. They are about three 

 years old, supported on the usual slender galvanized wire, 

 and in many parts bore a very fair crop, though in others 

 they were nearly ruined by thrip. The little Lady Apple 

 was particularly fine ; but generally the apples were like 

 the pyramidal pears and apples, a failure as regards crop. 

 However, of the two the cordons bore the best crop. The 

 Pear, as a horizontal cordon, was not so good as the Apple; 

 in fact, a failure, as is usually the case. 



Angers. — This famous old town is known almost every- 

 where for its vast nursery gardens ; there are, it is said, 

 one hundred nurserymen, small and great, in its neighbour- 

 hood. It is a fine climate, this of Anjou — so genial as to 

 develope the Tea plant in perfect health out of doors, and 

 with sun enough to spice the air with the fragrance of that 

 splendid evergreen. Magnolia grandiflora, which may be 

 seen used as a promenade tree in the Place immediately 

 outside the main entrance to the nurseries of M. A. Leroy. 

 There are many noble specimens and lines of this plant in 

 the nurseries, which are of vast extent — too much so, indeed, 

 to permit of one visiting them, unless with plenty of time 

 to spare. The Camellia does perfectly well in the open air, 

 and is grown to an enormous extent, nearly two acres of 

 ground being devoted to the production of young plants, 

 25,000 being grafted every year. At the time of my "sdsit 

 (July 18), nearly all the beds were shaded from strong sun 

 by a thin spray of branches fastened between hurdles. 

 Many other things are propagated in great quantity — Pears 

 for example. Of one single variety, Easter Bem^e, the 

 enormous number of 40,000 plants are annually " worked,^"* 

 to use a propagating phrase. Of Duchesse d'Angouleme 

 25,000 are yearly required ; of Williams^s Bon Chretien, 

 25,000 ; that excellent Pear, Louise Bonne d^Awanches, is 

 also required to the extent of 25,000 annually ; and Doyenne 

 d^Alen9on to 20,000 plants — so that the number of one 

 kind of Pear used is alone sufficient to form a nursery of 

 itself. Observe the enormous number of Easter Beurre 

 (Doyenne d^Hiver) required. This is the Pear which we 



