134 



GROUP VI. NORTHERN COUNTIES — LANCASHIRE. 



clsLj, which seems to cause the roots to canker very much. Most 

 of the trees here are rather old, and a great numher have been 

 regrafted — some of them with several different varieties on the 

 one tree (a practice which I do not at all agree with, especially 

 where there is sufficient space for the varieties required), most of 

 the trees being crowded both as regards branches and spurs, 

 which I am gradually thinning. The first that were thinned 

 are now bearing much more freely. I also lift and root-prune 

 a few trees es^ery season as other work will allow. Some of 

 the trees were badly infested with scale, and also Woolly 

 Aphis, but with a liberal dressing of Gishurst Compound, 

 and a painting over with tar and clay, both pests are fast 

 disappearing, and the trees look much healthier. I consider the 

 Pear stock most suitable in this part of the country, as the few 

 we have on the Quince seem very shy bearers. As far as my 

 experience goes. Pears of all kinds are much later here than in 

 the Midland and Southern Counties, especially the earlier kinds. 

 Some of the later varieties are very subject to crack, which 

 I attribute to excess of moisture, because I find them crack 

 more in wet autumns than in dry ones. I have no doubt, too, 

 that the subsoil, being stift' and heavy, holds the moisture about 

 the roots, and so assists the evil. "We summer prune our trees, 

 with the exception of large orchard trees, which are left to the 

 winter pruning. 



2. — Thomas Winkworth, Childwall Hall Gardens, Liverpool. 



Number of Varieties Exhibited ... ... ... ... 36 



Observatiuns. — Examples small, the following were the most 

 worthy : Napoleon, Marie Louise, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 

 Beurre Clairgeau, Easter Beurr4, Williams's Bon Chretien, Glou 

 Mor9eau, chiefly from espaliers and bush trees. 



Exhibitor s Bemarks. — Situation, rather exposed ; soil, mode^ 

 rately light — an old garden ; subsoil, red sand. The trees on 

 walls are trained horizontally. Glou Mor9eau, Easter Beurre, 

 Beurre Diel, are the surest croppers. Brown Beurre and 

 Napoleon bear moderately. They all do much better against 

 walls than in the open ground. This locality is not favourable 

 for Pears, many varieties failing to fruit, excepting the autumn 

 should prove very fine. 



