HARDY FRUITS FOR SMALL GARDENS. 



137 



room (unless you have a hobby for Pears, and I am not now writing 

 for such) for more than these, viz. : Williams' Bon Chretien as a 

 half-standard, Louise Bonne, Beurre Hardy, Pitmaston Duchess, 

 Durondeau, and (?) Marie Louise as bush-trees or as espaliers, 

 and Doyenne du Cornice and Winter Nelis on a wall or fence, 

 preferably with southern or western aspect, though I have one 

 plant of Cornice which does admirably on a due east wall. 



12. 'Bears for Cooking. — These, if grown at all, should be in 

 bush or espalier form, the fruits being so very heavy. Catillac 

 is the best for the purpose, the blossom also being really most 

 beautiful and ornamental. 



13. Medlars. — If any of the household like Medlars, the 

 variety called Large Dutch (syn. Monstrous) forms a very pretty 

 small lawn-tree ; the curious Japanese-like contortions of its 

 branches, the large white solitary flowers, the drooping habit, 

 and most of all the exquisite colour of its autumn foliage, make 

 it highly ornamental. Few people seem to know how very 

 delicious Medlar jelly is. 



14. Quinces. — If there be any odd damp corner, or an un- 

 occupied spot near a pond, a Quince-tree is always useful, either 

 to make jelly or to put a small slice of one in Apple puddings 

 and pies. The Pear-shaped variety should be preferred. 



15. Mulberries. — This tree, again, may with great advantage be 

 planted as a lawn-tree in the South of England, its rounded 

 outline and dense heavy foliage forming a good contrast to almost 

 any other trees. It should be grown as a standard with as high 

 a stem as may be, in order that the grass of the lawn may grow 

 well underneath it and form a soft carpet for the ripe fruit to be 

 shaken upon, as in a small garden there will probably not be 

 labour enough to spare on the tiresome task of gathering 

 Mulberries. A tall stem also lifts the tree more out of the 

 influence of spring frosts. 



I have endeavoured in most cases to give alternative varieties 

 of the different fruits, not because I do not know which I myself 

 should prefer, but because, happily, tastes differ, and it is not well 

 that all should grow exactly the same ; moreover, all varieties do 

 not succeed equally well at all places. 



At this point I had intended my paper to close, but it has 

 been urged on me very strongly to make it more complete by 



