THE FLORIST AND P0M0L0GIST. 



extends of the aspect, soil, and locality, most suited to the different sorts ; 

 while others in their lists merely relate the marvellous excellencies of the 

 kind for sale, so that an amateur suffers a pleased sort of perplexity in 

 selecting only a dozen varieties from a mass of sweet, juicy, melting, aromatic, 

 delicious kinds with tempting names, which figure in modern catalogues. 



It will be perhaps sufficient on this occasion to present two practical illus- 

 trations of the influence of soil as well as the allied influences exerted by 

 distinct geological circumstances, and local peculiarities of climate on the 

 quality of Pears ; for this purpose I will cite* Belvoir and ChilwelL 



At Belvoir, which is in the north-midland division of the country, the 

 natural soil is clay, and belongs geologically to the upper lias ; the surface has 

 been modified by cultivation, and presents the appearance of a strong dark 

 loam. The garden is about 237 feet above the sea, and distant from it about 

 fifty miles. The average rainfall of the district is about 24 inches. Of the 

 more common sorts of Pears which can be successfully cultivated at Belvoir, 

 either trained to walls on S.W. or E. aspects, I may enumerate Jargonelle, 

 Poir Peche, Marie Louise, Bonchretien, Orpheline d'Enghein, and Louise 

 Bonne of Jersey, Knight's Monarch, Winter Nelis, Beurre Ranee, and Easter 

 Beurre, on either of the aspects named, and as standards. 



The trained Pears occasionally good, but in some seasons very inferior, are 

 Glou Morceau, Sabine, Fortunee Beige, Napoleon, Beurre d' Amanlis. Of those 

 sorts which have never proved good I may mention Passe Colmar, Duchesse 

 d'Angouleme, Chaumoutel, Langelier's Beurre, Grosse Calebasse, Beurre Diel, 

 and Ne Plus Meuris. I might extend this list by including Pears of recent 

 introduction ; but those I have cited will serve to illustrate my argument. 



At Chilwell, in Notts, in the nurseries of Mr. Pearson, the soil is a sandy 

 loam, river drift, derived from and resting on the New Red Sandstone forma- 

 tion. There is a greater annual fall of rain, owing, perhaps, to the neighbour- 

 hood of the Trent ; but the excess is hardly more than an inch. The distance 

 between the two places is about twenty-five miles. 



The characteristic Pears which ripen on standard trees at Chilwell, and 

 are good, are Aston Town, Autumn Bergamot, Welbeck Bergamot, Beurre 

 d' Amanlis, Williams' Bonchretien, Comte de Lamy, Louise Bonne of Jersey. 

 Pears which ripen in fine seasons only are Marie Louise and Napoleon. Pears 

 which are never good at Chilwell are Knight's Monarch, Beurre Diel, Beurre 

 Ranee, Glou Morceau, Easter Beurre, Ne Plus Meuris, Beurre de Capiaumont. 



Contrasting the two places, it will be seen that sorts which in one place are 

 excellent are in the other- worthless, and yet a distance of a little more than a 

 score of miles separates the two ! I think that nothing more conclusive need 

 be cited to prove the great advisibility of pursuing inquiries into the really 

 interesting question of what is the best soil and climate, or in what way can 

 these be modified to suit that best of all hardy winter dessert fruit, the Pear. 

 Belvoir. William Ingham. 



[This is a subject we cannot press too earnestly on our readers. It is one on which 

 depends the success of all our poniological experience ; and until we arrive at conclusions 

 affecting the whole country, based upon the example here so ably laid down by our talented 

 correspondent, it is in vain to attempt planting fruit trees to any extent with the sure 

 expectation of reaping the full benefit of our labours. — Eds. F. and P.] 



WINTER-FLOWERING PLANTS. 



When visiting some of our finest gardens at this season of the year I have 

 frequently had an apology proffered for the comparative absence of flowering 



