342 JOUEXAL OF THE EOYAL HOETICULTCEAL SOCIETY. 



Much that I have stated about Apples will be also applicable 

 to Pears. The Quince takes the place of the Paradise stock, 

 with the result that Bush and Pyramid Pears are produced 

 instead of the timber-like trees with which we are all familiar. 

 The Quince is. in a sense, intermediate between the Apple and 

 the Pear, and both can be grafted upon it, so that Pears and 

 Apples may be seen growing upon the same tree. It has, how- 

 ever, greater affinity to the Pear than to the Apple, and all who 

 wish to have Pears should purchase Pyramids or Cordons on 

 the Quince stock. 



Pears are more truly a luxury than Apples. Our climate is 

 not so well suited to them, and they are more uncertain. The 

 difficulty of keeping Pears after they are ripe affects their value, 

 but there are certain kinds that are less perishable than others, 

 and some of the popular Pears are good bearers and sell freely. 

 A good deal of judgment and skill is required in gathering 

 and storing this fruit. Some varieties require to be kept in a 

 warm place to ripen them, and others are apt to shrivel if 

 exposed to the air and light. A proper fruit-room should be 

 dark, no: too dry. and cf even temperature. Fruit is often 

 gathered before it is fit, because of the autumn gales, but on 

 Pyramid and bush trees the fruit may be allowed to hang longer. 



The gardens of our nobility and gentry have in the past 

 been the schools for high culture, and we owe much to those 

 who have maintained them in so public -spirited a manner. 

 But of late years the greatest advance has been made by the 

 grower? c: fruit :cr market. They have taught us how to 

 cover the land with glass at a marvellously cheap rate, and by 

 combining the culture of Grapes and Tomatos, they have added 

 enormously to our supplies. Our open ports invite the foreigner 

 to send us the products of sunnier skies ; but still British 

 products maintain their superior character, and we may with 

 the aid of cheap glass structures defy competition. 



The Grapes and Tomato3 grown in London suburbs and in 

 the neighbourhood of Worthing fetch the highest prices, and 

 I have no doubt but that in the near future Strawberries will 

 be produced under glass a: a cheap rate before the French 

 growers can supply them, and that means will be taken to 

 prolong the season. The taste of the public has a tendency to 

 become more fastidious as supplies increase : and whilst there 



