March 2, 1882. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
171 
adhering on a dry loft, surrounded with river sand, and in which the 
temperature never fell below 45° Fahr. They are now growing natu¬ 
rally. A few had buds half an inch long, and so far not one has been 
affected by mildew or injured in any respect. I commence planting 
the first lines now, and continue until my stock is all down in April. 
There is no proper ripening, as I already pointed out in your columns, 
without a long season’s growth, and I never plant more than 3 inches 
deep. So much for saving, planting, and growing a flower that all 
might and could grow.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
PEAR BERGAMOTTE ESPEREN. 
Beyond all doubt this is one of the hardiest and best of all late 
Pears, and if there are any gardens where Pears succeed, and this 
variety is not included, the collection of hardy dessert fruits must 
be incomplete. In the southern counties and as far north as the 
Trent we have seen very fruitful orchard trees of this Tear, and 
the fruit was of excellent quality ; but it is necessarily finer from 
trees grown against a wall. The following is the description and 
origin of this well-proved and valuable Pear. 
Fruit medium size, frequently above medium size, varying from 
2§ inches wide and 2^ high, to 3£ inches wide and 3 high. It is, 
in the smaller fruit, distinctly Bergamot-shaped, but in large and 
well-grown specimens it is rather turbinate, narrowing abruptly 
to the stalk, even and regular in its outline. Skin coarse and 
rough, at first of a dark green colour, covered with large brown 
russet dots, but as it attains maturity it assumes a dull greenish 
yellow hue, and the numerous large russet dots become grey ; 
sometimes on the side that has been exposed to the sun it assumes 
a faint orange tinge. Eye small and open, with a dry, rigid, 
i 
Fig. 31.— Fear bergamotte esperen. 
horny calyx, of no regular form, set in a pretty deep, wide, and 
eveu basin. Stalk three-quarters of an inch long, stout, and some¬ 
what fleshy at the insertion, and placed in a small narrow cavity. 
Flesh yellowish, fine-grained, quite melting, very juicy and sugary, 
with a pleasant aroma. A most delicious late Pear, coming into 
season from about the middle of February and lasting till April. 
A fit successor to Winter Nelis. It was raised from seed about 
the year 1830 by Major Esperen of Malines. 
LOAM FOR POTTING PURPOSES. 
As regards the value of good loam for potting and other 
purposes, to the exclusion of peat more especially, I agree with 
“ Single-handed ” on page 136. In fact, he has anticipated 
me on the subject, as I intended offering a few remarks at this 
the commencement of the potting season. As in his case, we can 
easily procure peat in this district, but the best of it has either 
been exhausted or its quality has been over-estimated. Fibreless 
peat I consider valueless for potting purposes, especially if it 
contains no sand, and consequently found it necessary to obtain 
some superior peat from a distance. This was employed princi¬ 
pally for hardwooded plants, such as Azaleas, Epacrises, Ericas, 
and Eriostemons, while the majority of other plants, choice or 
otherwise, were given a greater proportion of loam than I have 
seen recommended to be used before. The results in every case 
may not have been quite so satisfactory as might be wished, but 
on the whole convinced me I am on the right track, and fully 
warrant me in advocating the practice. This season we hope to 
do still better, though perhaps not better than those who adhere 
to the orthodox mixtures. To those who may have to purchase 
loam the subject may be less important, though even in their case 
it is a moot point whether it is not advisable to use less peat 
and more loam in their composts. Where, however, as in our 
case, turf can be had for cutting, I should say, Use more of it and 
save outlay on peat. 
As “ Single-handed ” points out, loams vary greatly, and 
