342 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 18. 1883. 
elude the moths place eggs upon the flower-buds at the early part of 
the season. And it is no uncommon circumstance for a hybernating 
moth to escape notice amongst the many insects of the spring, though 
it may be quite conspicuous towards the end of the autumn, when 
winged insects are few. One entomologist tells me he has seen the 
moths flying in clouds ; if so, a considerable burning of weeds just at 
the time of their emergence would probably kill many, or check the 
distribution of eggs. 
Leaving till next article some species that require to be noticed, 
we close with a brief reference to a subterranean enemy called 
vernacularly St. Mark’s Fly (Bibio Marci), although I am hardly sure 
there is a good reason why it is thus placed under the patronage of a 
saint. Most of the larvae or grubs in this group are feeders upon 
decaying substances, therefore not to be accounted injurious in 
gardens should they appear there ; but those of B. Marci principally 
attack roots, and occasionally cluster about a plant in parties of 
twenty, thirty, or more. The Strawberry is one of the species it 
prefers, and and another is the Ranunculus. This grub when adult 
is a little over half an inch in length, brownish, and studded with 
stiff short hairs, which serve instead of legs. In the male fly the 
eyes are remarkably large, almost joining each other ; the female has 
ttiem wide apart and inconspicuous.— Entomologist. 
LORD DERBY APPLE. 
I AM a great admirer of this fine Apple. We have only one strong 
bush-shaped tree, but this very rarely fails to carry a heavy crop of fruit, 
being superior in this respect to several others growing under similar 
conditions. The whole of the fruit generally grow to a great size, some 
measuring 13£ inches in circumference, and they have when fewer in 
number measured 14 inches round. With us the fruit vary in shape con¬ 
siderably, as some are oblate or somewhat similar to the Grenadier Apple 
figured on page 321, though less symmetrical, while others are conical, as 
figured on page 320. In my opinion it is essentially a kitchen Apple, as, 
although juicy and sweet when ripe, they are much too clumsy for dessert 
.purposes. Court Pendfi Plat is my ideal dessert Apple, and I wish raisers 
■of dessert varieties would take that for their model instead of going in 
for large size.—W. Iggulden. 
FONDANTE DE CHARNEU PEAR. 
THE VALUE OF WALL SHELTER. 
At last I have obtained some fruit of this little known but 
most excellent Pear. 1 have only one tree of it, a fine pyramid of 
such, robust free growth that I had to resort to root-pruning to 
induce it to form fruit buds. This was done two years ago, and 
fruit buds are so abundant as to afford promise of a full crop of 
fruits next year. This year I have only a few dozens of fruits, 
some of which are just ripe, and prove so delicious as to induce 
me to thus prominently call attention to it. When it is better 
known it will undoubtedly take a leading place among our best 
dessert Pears, and it can only be from ignorance of its value 
that it is, and has been so long neglected. I bad great difficulty 
in procuring a tree of it, but by the aid of the late Messrs. 
William & Thomas Osborn after much inquiry I was at length 
successful, but it is doubtful if it could be found in any nursery 
in this country now, for it is not mentioned in any of the fruit 
catalogues which I have seen. 
The fruit answers so exactly to Dr. Hogg’s description of it 
in the “Fruit Manual ” that I cannot do better than transcribe 
it here:—“Fruit large, sometimes very large, the ordinary size 
being 2J inches wide, and 3^ inches long ; pyriform, uneven 
in its outline. Skin smooth, pale greenish yellow, with a faint 
tinge of red on the size next the sun, and thickly strewed with 
large russet dots. Eye large and open, with erect acute seg¬ 
ments, set in a shallow uneven basin. Stalk upwards of an inch 
Jong, slender, curved, and inserted without depression by the 
side of a fleshy lip. Flesh tender, buttery and melting, sugary 
and richly flavoured. An excellent Pear, ripe in November.” I 
may also add the interesting note of its origin:—“ This was dis¬ 
covered as a wilding by M. L 'gipont, growing on his property at 
Charneu, a village between Verniers and Aix-la-Chapelle, in 
the province of Liege, Belgium, in the beginning of the present 
century.” 
The ripening of Pears is so proverbially uncertain that it 
is difficult to fix the exact time, but November is undoubtedly 
about the time when this Pear is at it3 best, most of the fruit 
now being still firm to the touch, and with that faint tinge of 
yellow which indicates the beginning of the ripening process. 
The fruit is only of the ordinary size, notwithstanding the 
extraordinary vigour of the tree; but this is probably attri¬ 
butable to the tree being a pyramid, and in order to obtain 
fruit of an extraordinary size a palmette verrier or cordon of it 
should be trained against a wall. I intend cutting down half 
a dozen cordons of Pitmaston Duchess, which is worthless e 
and grafting Fondante de Charneu upon them. 
The great difference which wa31 shelter makes in the size 
and form of many sorts of Pears is singular and important. 
One might naturally suppose that the finest and most handsome 
fruit would be found upon the most vigorous tree, irrespective 
of situation; but it is not so. So far as my experience goes 
wall fruit is always superior to that of trees of any form out 
in the open. I have just now gathered the fruit from a Marie 
Louise pyramid, growing only about 20 feet away from a west 
wall. The crop was moderate and the tree vigorous, so that 
there was nothing wanting so far to promote the full develop¬ 
ment of the fruit, yet it was little moi’e than half the size, and 
not nearly so handsome as fruit of the same kind from a 
palmette verrier against a north wall only a few yards off. Nor 
is this a solitary instance. The same thing invariably occurs 
here with the fruit of Beurra Ranee, Citron des Carmes, 
Louisa Bonne of Jersey, Doyenne du Comice, Beurre Clairgeau, 
Williams’ Bon Chretien, Madame Treyve, Huyshe’s Victoria 
Winter Nelis, Bergamotte Esperen, and Fondante d’Automne, 
all of which I happen to have planted here against walls of 
various aspects, and also out in the fruit garden. The late 
Mr. J. R. Pearson said, “ Few persons have any idea of the 
excellence of many Pears when grown on a good wall,” to which 
it might once be replied that few persons had wall space at 
their disposal for such a purpose. But now that the value of 
cordons is fully understood almost every garden may have its 
selection of choice Pears on walls, for twenty cordons only 
require the space once devoted to the huge horizontal tree with 
its spread of 30 feet.— Edward L'jckhurst. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Winter Protectors. —These should all be ready and in order before 
frost or severe weather sets in, and as this may come at any time now it 
will be well to make preparation. The Bracken Fern is one of the best 
materials that can be used for placing over Celery, Lettuce, and all 
young or tender vegetables in winter ; and this should be cut now, as 
when left until quite decayed it crumbles away when dried and is of 
little use. It should be cut when dry, allowed to lie on the ground for a 
few days, and then be taken in and stacked or stored in a shed. Frames, 
handlights, and sashes requiring repairs or paint should be attended to 
now, as it is a great advantage to have these in good condition when 
using them as protectors in winter. 
Blanching Endive. —All the Endives grow and spread outwards, and 
to have them delicate, white, and tender in the centre they must be tied 
up and blanched. It generally takes about three weeks to blanch them 
after being tied up, and the first should be tied up now and a small batch 
at intervals throughout the autumn and winter. Any short pieces of 
matting do to tie them with. All the leaves should be gathered in a 
cone-like form and then bound rather firmly together. 
Open Air Tomatoes. —These have stopped growing, and as a few 
degrees of frost will spoil the fruit it should all be cut and the plants 
thrown away. The smallest fruits need not be saved, but all from the 
size of a pigeon’s egg upwards will be useful and should be looked after. 
The best way to treat them is to tie eight or ten fruits together and hang 
them in a warm airy place until they ripen. If many fruits can be cut 
now they will keep up a supply until Christmas. 
Bhubarb for Forcing. —Where Rhubarb is wanted as early as possible 
or about Christmas, the roots often refuse to grow freely, partially 
through their often being grown in the shade and being not well matured, 
and also owing to their not being well rested before forcing. In damp 
soil it takes them a long time to become dormant, but if lifted now and 
placed in a shed with a few leaves over the roots they will soon be com¬ 
pletely to rest, and when introduced to the forcing quarters they will 
grow readily. Rhubarb which is only being cultivated in the ordinary 
way in the main quarters should have all the old leaves removed as soon 
as they decay, and then spread a good coating of manure over the crowns. 
Lifting Late Potatoes. —Probably all these have not been dug yet> 
but they should be placed under cover now quickly, as the weather will 
not benefit them in any way. Potato-digging should only be done when 
the weather is fine and dry. 
Earthing Celery. —Celery in all stages of growth must have attention in 
this way. That which had some soil placed to it a month or more ago will 
have grown more now, and should have a final earthing-up. The utmost 
care should be taken that none of the soil falls into the centre of the 
plants ; but when each plant is bound with a piece of matting there is 
not much danger of this happening. In banking the soil against the 
