Gleanings, Ko. 1. 229 
The parish of Tettenhall has one singular circumstance in the fruit way ; it 
produces a peculiar kind of pear, called Tettenhall Pear, and known by no 
other name. Many hundreds of the trees grow in this parisli, though scarcely 
to be found at a distance. The tree is large, and a plentiful bearer ; the fruit 
well-flavoured, bakes and boils well, but will net keep long enough for car- 
riage to a distance, unless gathered before they are ripe. The average annual 
produce of this parish is many thousand bushels more than its own consump- 
tion. The pears ripen about Michaelmas, and their whole duration is about 
one month, during which time the neighbouring markets are plentifully sup- 
plied, and they are carried by the canals into Lancashire. They make but 
weak perry, and are but little used in that way, there being a demand for them 
all at market. We must repeat that the culture of fruit trees in this county 
has been too much neglected, and that the raising of orchards is a desideratum 
in its agricultural improvements, as producing an useful article little interfe^ 
ring with its present productions. In such a business, due attention should be 
paid to the proper kinds of fruit, and to those that produce fruit liquor of the 
best quality. Fruit trees might certainly be raised in pasture land, and in 
hedge-rows, with very little injury to the other produce of such land; and per- 
haps the increase of human beverage from fruits, instead of grain, is much to 
be desired, as tending to increase the quantity of grain for food, and being 
more conducive to health than malt liquor. — It has been stated that fruit li- 
quor is an antidote to the stone and gravel, and that malt liquor promotes 
those diseases. Large tracts of this county are well adapted for the growth 
of apples and pears ; deep rich friable loams are their natural soil, or lighte 
soils of a good depth, and not too much elevated. In thin soils upon gravel, 
the hard under-stratum should be taken out,, and loam put in its place; and 
bottoms too moist should be under-drainod, which would adapt them to grass 
and corn a« well as fruit trees. It is an unpardonable neglect for a house in 
the country, with land to it, to be without an orchard, or for a village on afer-- 
tile soil to be without a crab-mill to make verjuice, cyder, and perry, and the 
means of employing it. The French are far before us in this respect; and 
though we are superior to them in strong ale and good beef, their peasantry 
drink wine whilst ours drink water, when at the same time they might drink 
cyder and perry, if due attention were paid to fruit-trees. But the business 
can only be done by the land-owner, it not being consistent with the uncertain 
tenure by which land is commonly held in occupation. — Ibid. 
Improvement of Heajh Land and Cultivation of Potatoes. — Waste lands 
are admirably adapted to the growth of Potatoes. "The east side of Dilhorn- 
Heath'was cultivated with potatoes after the heath and gorse had rotted, and 
being mixed with lime and compost; the crop of potatoes was so abundant as 
to admit many waggon loads being sent in the winter into the vicinity of the 
Potteries, about six miles from Dilhorn, which aiforded a seasonable supply to 
many thousand manufacturers. The quantity was not only immense, but the 
quality of the potatoes was in so high repute, that the Dilhorn potatoes produ- 
ced two-pence per bushel above the common market price. In this part of the 
moorlands the potatoe harvest is of great consideration, and the 30,000 artificers 
and yeomanry there, eat less wheaten bread than in most other places, with 
the same number. Give a cottager in the moorlands, (with a wife and large 
family) a cow, and a few roods of potatoe ground, and j^ou make him a happy 
man; he goes to his daily labour, earns money to purchase clothing, &c. for 
his large family. The younger children collect the dung and soil from the 
