January 2*8,1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 75 
and likely to follow the bad example of such a father.—A n Old 
Horticulturist. 
SPRING-STRUCK PELARGONIUMS. 
Our best plants of variegated Pelargoniums for bedding-out 
(edgings or bands more especially) are grown from cuttings struck 
now. They are found to root most quickly and without any loss 
when each cutting is placed singly in a thumb pot. A tempe¬ 
rature at the minimum point of 65° is most suitable, and it is 
advantageous to have the pots near the glass. They must not be 
left too long in these small pots after being rooted, but must be 
shifted into those 4 inches in diameter, employing a rich com¬ 
post for potting. If grown thus without check, and pinched 
once to make them branch from the bottom, very superior plants 
to those struck in autumn are secured. These have, however, use 8 
for which spring-struck plants are not so well adapted. The 
most effective combinations possible to conceive are produced by 
associating the older Pelargoniums with dwarf-growing plants, 
such as Violas and Konigas, but where the Pelargoniums are 
alone the younger plants are much to be preferred.—E. P. B. 
PEAR DOYENNE D’ALENCON. 
In the various discussions which take place on Pears this 
variety is seldom mentioned, yet it is without doubt a valuable 
late Pear. In all cold and northerly districts fine fruit can only 
be obtained from trees on walls, but in the south good examples 
are afforded by pyramids. After giving the five synonymes of 
Doyennd d’Alenqon, the “ Fruit Manual ” has the following- 
Fig. 16 .— Doyenne d'alen t 9on pear. 
relative to this Pear—“Fruit medium size, 2| inches long and 
2^ inches wide ; oval, narrowing with an abrupt concave curve 
towards the eye, so as to form a sort of snout of the apex. Skin 
pea green or greenish yellow when ripe, thickly dotted all over 
with large dots, which are sometimes grey and sometimes green, 
not unlike the colouring of Easter Beurrd. Eye small and open, 
with short ovate segments, which are incurved and set in a 
narrow depression. Stalk very short and generally stout, in¬ 
serted in a small round cavity. Flesh yellowish, tender, buttery, 
and melting, slightly gritty at the core, but sweet, rich, and 
highly flavoured. A very excellent late Pear, in use from Decem¬ 
ber to February, and even till March. The tree is a vigorous 
grower, forms handsome pyramids, and is an abundant bearer. 
“ This has been considered synonymous with Easter Beurr£, from 
which it is perfectly distinct. It certainly somewhat resembles 
it in appearance, but the flavour is quite distinct, and it is a 
much superior fruit. The young shoots of Doyennd d’AlenQon 
are quite distinct; the buds are plump, oval, and spreading, while 
in Easter Beurre they are more slender, conical, and adpressed to 
the shoot.” 
PANDANUS VEITCHII. 
VARIEGATION OF PLANTS. 
This is one of the most useful of decorative plants. Though 
not quite so easily propagated as Pelargoniums, it is very easily 
increased ; and it only needs heat and water enough in order to 
thrive. Though thus easily grown, it may be made to assume 
very different appearances under different modes of treatment. 
In strong heat and good soil it grows rapidly, and assumes a 
rigid aspect with little variegation. In a cool stove, in poor soil, 
and cramped for root room it grows more slowly, but is much 
better coloured and more graceful in form. But it is only when 
grown in a compost of peat, sphagnum, and potsherds that it 
attains its greatest beauty of colour and form. Those who are 
troubled by their plants becoming too green and stout should try 
