672 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



The Pear Crop. 



Berks. 



Pears all round are a heavier crop here this season than apples, and 



—some 

 Those named are 



though, owing to the drought, not extra large, the fruit generally is fine 

 above the usual size, of good colour, and free from spot. Those nan 

 carrying heavy crops: Bergamotte d Esperen, Beurre Bosc, Beurre d Amanhs, 

 Beurre Diel, Beurre Giffard (good old early sort), Beurre Hardy (very good , 

 Beurre Mortillet, Beurre Superfin, Williams Bon Chretien (heavy crops on walls), 

 Clapp's Favourite (very fine), Chaumontel, Doyenne d'Ete (early), Doyenne 

 Boussoch (fine, but does not last long), Doyenne du Cornice (one of the best), 

 Duchesse d'AngouIeme (very fine), Durondeau (high colour), Fondante 

 d'Autornne, General Todleben (handsome fruit), Glou Morceau (fine flavour and 

 good cropper), Jargonelle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Madame Treyve (large), Mag- 

 nate (new variety), Marie Louise (heavy crops), Knight's Monarch (an excellent 

 sort), Ne Plus Meuris, Olivier de Serres, Pitmaston Duchess, Seckle, Souvenir 

 du Congrcs (early), Thompson's (one of the best for flavour), Vicar of Winkfield 

 (large and heavy crops, but only grown for stewing), and Winter Nelis. A wall of 

 single cordons (west aspect), and including many of the above and other sorts, 

 are fruiting very freely ; these have been partly thinned out early in the season, 

 and are now clothed with fine, clean fruit.— Owen Thomas, Frogmore. 



Cork. Pears are small and deformed in most gardens. Glou Morceau, 



Marie Louise, Beurre Superfin, Autumn Bergamot, Beurre Brown, Duchesse 

 d'AngouIeme, Beurre Diel, and Williams' Bon Chretien almost useless in con- 

 sequence of the long drought, but full crop. Aston Town and the old Bishop's 

 Thumb have had the best crops. Other varieties have borne a few, but in all cases 

 fruit much below an average in quality.— W. Osborne, Fota. 



Devon.— Pears are almost a total failure. Beurre d'Amanlis, Louise Bonne 

 of Jersey, Glou Morceau, Durondeau, and Josephine de Malines are the only 

 varieties bearing anything, and those barely half a crop, and, I should add, 

 all on cordon-trained trees.— J. Ellicott, Exeter. 



— Although pears were a grand crop last year, there is an almost entire 

 absence of these useful fruits this season.— S. Pragnell, Chelmsford. 



Forfarshire. 



Pears this year, with us, are a total failure as they are only 



We have not a very large selection. The varieties 



grown on the walls here. 



generally most satisfactory are Williams' Bon Chretien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 

 Beurre Bosc, and Autumn Bergamot. — T. Wilson, Glamis Castle Gardens. 



Glamorganshire. — Pears are a heavy crop, the trees are clean and free from 

 blister, and the fruits, comparatively, are much larger than the apples. The 

 following varieties are carrying good crops this year : Jargonelle, Williams', Bon 

 Chretien, Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre Hardy, Beurre Bosc, Beurre Diel, but the fruits 

 of the latter are badly scabbed, and a great many are dropping. Beurre Clairgeau, 

 Beurre Ranee, Bergamotte d'Esperen, Durondeau, Doyenne du Cornice, Glout 

 Morceau (extra heavy crop, trees robust and in vigorous health), Josephine de 

 Malines, LouiseBonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, Ne Plus Meuris, Pitmaston 

 Duchess — good crop on walls, but slight crop on) pyramidal trees — Thompson's, 

 Vicar of Winkfield, and Winter Nelis, Gansel's Bergamot, Beurre Bachelier, are 

 very fine on a wall with a wet exposure, and General Todtleben is good on a south 

 exposure. — A. Pettigrew, Cardiff Castle Gardens. 



Gloucestershire. — Pears are a very thin crop, except Jargonelle, Williams' 



P>on Chretien, and Beurre Diel. Perry pears are more plentiful, but a lot of the 

 fruit is dropping off before it is ripe. — J. Aplin, Hasjield Court Gardens. 



Hampshire. — Pears are below the average both in quantity and quality, which 

 must, as in the case of apples, be attributed to the bad weather in their early 

 stage of growth. The young fruit received a check when commencing to swell 

 freely, from which they never appear to have properly recovered. Fan-trained 

 trees on warm walls are carrying the best crops, and the fruit is larger and better 

 shaped than in pyramid and bush trees, but even when the roots have been kept 

 supplied with moisture, the fruit is much smaller than usual. Our best varieties 

 mentioned somewhat in their order of ripening, are Jargonelle, Souvenir du 

 Congr&r, Williams'£Bon Chretien, Madame Treyve. Beurre d'Amanlis, Seckle, 

 Marie Louise, Beui re Superfin, Beurre Hardy, Doyenne du Cornice, Durondeau, 

 Beurre Bosc, Marie Louise, Pitmaston Duchess, Marie Louise d'Uccle, Winter 

 Nelis, and Glout Morceau. All these are excellent here. Triomphe de Vienne 

 will also turn out a good variety, I think, but we have not yet given it a fair 

 trial.— G. Trinder, Dogmersfield Gardens. 



Pears on walls are a fairly good crop. The best early pears are 



Targonelle, Williams' Bon Chretien, and Clapp's Favourite. Later sorts that are 

 good are Louise Bonne of Jersey, Thompson's, Marie Louise, Pitmaston Duchess, 

 Beurre Superfin, Beurre Bosc, Doyenne du Cornice, Winter Nelis, Easter 

 Beurre, Zepherin Gregoire, Beurre Diel, Hacon's Incomparable, Knight's 

 Monarch, Beurre Ranee, Glout Morceau, Bergamotte d'Esperen, and Passe 

 Crasanne. Of stewing pears the most constant bearers are Cat iliac, General 

 Todtleben, Uvedale's St. Germain, and Vicai of Winkfield. The finest crops on 

 standard trees in the open are Beurre de Capiaumont, Hessle, Marie Louise, 

 Louise Bonne of Jersey, Princess, and Durondeau. Other standard pears are thin 

 in fruit this season.— J. W. McHattie, Strathfieldsaye Gardens. 



Kent. — Pears, under average. With me most of the best varieties are poor. The 

 only sorts that have done well are Pitmaston Duchess, Doyenne Boussouch, 

 1 )urondeau, and Margaret Marillatt. Louise Bonne, Doyenne du Cornice, and Beurre 

 I lardy's seemed to have suffered from scorching. A large early pear is Beurre 

 Mortillet, fairly good quality ; one of the largest ; will not keep many days after 

 gathered, though bright and attractive. Nouvelle Fulvie is not so well known as 

 it should be ; excellent flavour ; rather poor appearance ; needs to hang on the tree 

 as long as possible, otherwise they shrivel. I usually tie ours on.— Groruk 



Woodward, Bottom Court. 



Those about 



an 



King s County. 



average 



Pears, except on the walls are a light crop, 

 cr0 P are Williams' Bon Chretien, Jargonelle, Doyenne d'Ete, 

 Duchess d Angoulcme, Beurre de Capiaumont, Beurre Diel, Brown Beurre, Easter 

 Beurre, Marie Louise, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Josephine de Malines, Souvenir 

 du Congrcs, White Doyenne, Durondeau, Napoleon, Marie L. d'Uccle, Fertility, 

 and /epherm Gregoire. — R. McKenxa, Charleville Gardens. 



Kirkcudbright.— Pears are veiv rw*r Autumn Bergamot, Beurre Diel, 



t> -r, r- ■ ~- ure ve, y poor 



E2l r iT C * ^"Beunre, Marie Louise, 'Williams' BonChretien being the 



best.— J. Hannah, Cairns wore Gardens 



Lanarkshire.- 



Park Gardens. 



Leicestershire. 



season. 



Pears 



are an average crop. — W. Sutherland, Bothwell 



None 



i>w erv . -- °f our pears are carrying heavy crops this 



to^has sufaffiS *£7eU protected with netting. The fruit, 



The v?iSS hit C 5 0t ' dr * weathe '> and will not be so large as usual. 

 Beurre Did Beur e FT^i T the comprise Jargonelle, Beurre Superfin, 

 i^urre uit\ % tfeurre Hardy, Beurre du Buisson, Easter Beurre, Emile d'Heyst, 



Doyenne du Cornice, Marechal de la Cour Tho 



and bears well on a :j> x ' ms 



° CT0BRR 15, 1898. 



R 



pyramid tree), Josephine deMaS^ ^voured of a „ 

 e Ranee ; the latterWc^o' Jg© Jgjjj 



r, Mm&eZt&XS** but « -11s are a fair crop *. 



of Jersey, and Beurre 

 Divers, Belvoir Castle Gardens. 



Middlesex. 



Alla 



good. The following upon 



Monmouthshire.-P^^ 



lemis 

 uise 



x^uycuuc uu samite, ^u.uuucau, Beurre d'Amanlis Rp,„,„ IT JDne de Mell o, 

 Bosc, Louise Bonne of Jersey, and Williams' Bon (W Fouc * uera y. Beu 



ier average, but the quality of the f • 



Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre SuperSn, Souvenir^du~rn!f°" e ^ e 'T ^ eiins h Beauty* 

 Jersey, Durondeau, and Beurre Diel ; while upon PvmrK 8 ' » ise Bonne of 

 Doyenne du Cornice, Durondeau, Beurre d'CmX % ronn " 



^u« t f«»=jri Auu Williams' Bon Chretien — 7' ocut w 



Souvenir du Congres is a grand pear, not so often met with T* t!*^ 0 ™ 

 It is in season with Williams' Bon Chretien, which is 0 ne of iL deServes to **• 

 deau is another handsome and highlv-flavonrprf vn*;*^ +u / i! P* r , ents ' Duroi 

 every collection. _ Our most heav^ l^^SS^ ttfesf 1 



ron- 

 in 



Doyenne du Cornice ; but Marie Louise, Beurre HarH* p-* ? St ^ a11 W 

 Conseiller de la Cour, which usually ax^^d^l Pitmaston DuchessVand 

 rn™*™ Tl„ y " y g00d Cr °P s > are Poor this year.^T 



Coomber, The Hendre Gardens 



Montgomeryshire. 



Chretien, Beurre Boussocl 

 Duchess, Beurre Superfin, 



Louise, Doyenne du Cornice, Glout 



Morceau, Beurre Steckmans, Marie Louise d'Ucrle A,,himn m r r' , out 



Norfolk.-Pears on walls are good, and have had to be thinned, with the excen- 

 ion of a very few trees. An unusual amount of labour has been bestowed on the 

 trees, to cleave them from pear leach-lime and sharp sand I find the best remedy 

 They have had repeated syringing with quassia, and soluble pnaffin to cleanse the 

 eaves from aphis and honey dew. Such a year for filth on trees I never remember • 

 heavy waterings at intervals had to be given to induce the fruit to swell am 

 The fruits are now promising to be of good size, and to repay for all the extS 

 labour bestowed.— W. Allan, Gnnton Park Gardens. 



Northampton.— The following are exceptionally well cropped, but are rather 

 of poor flavour, considering the exceptional tropical temperature, I might say we 

 have had the past few weeks : Doyenne d'Ete, Jargonelle, Beurre Giffard, Clapp's 

 Favourite, Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre Superfin, and Marie Louise. The following 

 are the next best croppers, all being on walls : Van Mons. Leon de Clerc, Glout 

 Morceau, Louise Bonne of Jersey, and Doyenne du Cornice. Espaliers and 

 pyramids of all varieties are far below the average, particularly Winter Nel 

 Bergamotte d'Esperen, Zepherin Gregoire, Knight's Monarch, Pitmaston Duche? 

 Ne Plus Meuris, Dr. Lindley, Marechal de la Cour, and Beurre Ranee.— J. IIayk , 

 Castle Ash fry Gardens. 



Northumberland.— Pears are all grown on walls. The best are Jargonelle, 

 Louise Bonne of Jersey. We have Triomphe de Vienne, highly commended as a 

 September pear ; we have it on trial. Styrian is good, Beurre Superfin, Brock- 

 worth Park, Backhouse Beurre, Marie Louise (these I would especially emphasise). 

 Doyenne du Cornice is the best pear we have in November ; it does well as a 

 cordon and espalier on south wall, and in pots, sheltered a few weeks up to the 

 middle of June in a house, then plunged in ashes in the open until it begin* to 

 bloom ; the next year very fine fruit can be had of the highest quality. The same 

 may be said of Josephine de Malines, the best late as to the pot system, Emile 

 d'Heyst fruits as a young tree ; Beurre d'Amanlis is free to crop in the country 

 Hacon's Incomparable, Conference, Comte de ChambDrd, Beurre Van Geert are 

 all of excellent flavour, but the trees as yet are small. Winter Nelis does in hM 

 positions north of this. Beurre Clairgeau we grow for early cooking, great cropper; 

 also Flemish Bon Chretien.— G. Harris, Alnwick Castle Gardens, 



Queen's County.— Pears are a very thin crop upon orchard trees— there are 

 scarcely any. Trained trees against an east wall and on the quince stock are 

 carrying a lew good fruits, the best being Jargonelle, Bellissime d'Hiver, Catillac, 

 and Easter Beurre. Many other varieties, although a sheet of bloom, have not 

 produced a single fruit.— W. BegBIB, Emo Park Gardens. 



Radnorshire.— Williams' Bon Chretien, Marie Louise, Fondante d'Autornne, 

 Duchess d'Ansouleme are well crooned, and the fruit is good in quality. 



„ are well cropped, _ — _ R 



Pitmaston Duchess on ayoung tree has a good crop. Louise Bonne of Jersey, flrown 

 Beurre, Beurre Superfin, Beurre Die are very poor. Uvedale's St. Germain, heary 

 crop.— W. Paluser, Norton Manor Gardens. 



Shropshire.— Pearsare over the averageand of splendid quality. - Wfff^ 

 du Cornice, Beurre d'Amanlis, Beurre Diel, Beurre Giffard, Beurre 

 Beurre Superfin, Josephine de Malines, Fondante d'Autornne, Louis 

 Jersey, Clapp's Favourite, Pitmaston Duchess, and a lot of others are : all nea .) 

 laden, whilst the fruits are clean and of excellent quality.— J- UW"*- . 

 Quinta Gardens* Chirk. CM 



Somerset-Pears are a very slight crop throughout, but the best are. 

 Calebasse (a medium crop of fine fruit and clean), Pitmaston D? c n«J™ e ^ 

 fine fruit, and clean), Glou Morceau (nice clean fruit of medium size), ™« ™ 0 

 Crassane (a heavy crop of small fruits on pyramids).— W. H. Mli*» a 



on several varieties, others mth a J" 



Staffordshire. 



A fair crop 

 crop, and a few sorts without any fruit. 



All trees well furnished .with J**o£ 



but hardly a variety which wholly escaped the destructiveness oi 1 ™ e 

 following are the most satisfactory'in this district, viz. : Bergamotte <T tsper . . 

 d'Amanlis, Beurre Clairgeau, Beurre Die!, Beurre Ranee, Beurre bupjrn , ^ 

 de Lamy, Doyenne du Cornice, Duchesse d'Angouleme, bmile >. a ney ^ 

 Beauty, Josephine de Malines, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie wuk , % ^ 

 Serres, Pitmaston Duchess, Princess,' Souvenir du Congrc -s, inw apell 

 Williams' Bon Chretien. Pears, owing to the late ™§^%^Mu!£ 



of dry weather since, are not so large as usual 



Cardens. 



Surrey.— Here the following varieties are 

 trained : Bergamotte d'Esperen, Zepherin Gregoire, Josepnine ' 

 Bachelier, Ne Plus Meuris, Beurre Ranee. Conference, Marie u> 



on 



cordons ft 



Louise Bonne of Jersey," Beurre d'Aremberg, Triomphe de J ^™ J ^ ^ 

 Morceau, Pitmaston Duchess, Jean de Witte, BaronM ^J 1 ™^ 



Pears here make very' clean growth, the J^^S* ^ varied 



Hardy. 



them, and we have an average crop every year, but not on 



W . Higgs. Fete ham Park Gardens. 



frtiO 



rcu nam rark uaraens. , th se vere 



Sussex -The fruits set wonderfully well, but owing ^ ^ fc!i 

 experienced about the middle of May most of them were so iro ^ the *do0ol 

 only a few varieties in the open having anything like 1 icr.p. ^ 

 appear to be worth anything. Those on walls are a LhttW ^ ^e 

 Williams' Bon Chretien, Jargonelle, Marie Louise, Beurre 



