January 23, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
07 
life, and this has softened the blow to his sorrowing family. He had 
suffered for some time from heart disease, to which he eventually 
succumbed in the sixty-seventh year of his age, mourned by all who 
knew him ; and his family, who are like himself in gentleness and innate 
kindness of disposition, have been cheered by the sympathy of hosts of 
friends. 
PEAR HOUSE AT LAMBTON CASTLE. 
The engraving (fig. 10) shows a house at Lambton Castle gardens that 
was built for the purpose of Pear growing, as outdoor culture is so unsatis¬ 
factory in the district from the noxious vapours from the industries for 
which the county is noted. The house is a lern-to facing south-east, 
324 feet in length, but the engraving only shows about 125 feet, as the 
photographer could not expo.se more of it. The house is wired 1 foot 
Vines deprives them of the amount of light necessary for their well¬ 
being, when they are shifted into a cooler house. Our first fruits are 
afforded by Blanchd Claude, Citron des Carmes, Doyennh d’Etd, Dr. Dela- 
fosse, and Dr. Jules Guyot ; earliness is the principal recommendation. 
For August, in our cold house. Jargonelle, Beurrd Gifford, Clapp’s 
Favourite, and Beurre de 1’Assumption are grown. In September we 
have Williams’ Bon Chretien, Beurre d’Aremberg, Beurrb d’Amanlis,. 
Beurr^ Superfin, and Souvenir du Congr^s. October, Louise Bonne of 
Jersey, Fondante d’Automne, Gratioli, Beurrd Hardy, King Edward, 
Thompson’s, and Brown Beurrd ; November, Doyennd Boussoch, Marie 
Louise, Mardchal do Cour, Beurr6 Bose, Brockworth Park, Gregoire 
Bourdillon, and Van Mons Leon le Clerc. December, Baronne de Mello, 
Glou Mor^eau, Pitmaston Duchess, Doyennd du Comice, General 
Todtleben, Durondeau, Duebesse d’Angouleme, Marie Louise d’Uccle, 
Emile d’Heyst, Prince Consort, Beurrd Clairgeau, Beurrb Diel, 
Fig. 10.—pear house AT LAMBTON CASTLE GARDENS. 
from the glass, and the Pears planted along the front, with triple and 
single cordons alternately 15 inches apart, trained similarly to Vines. 
They are sloped a short distance from the top of the house to favour 
the Peaches on the back wall, as well as a Strawberry shelf overhead, 
and the results are most satisfaetory. IVhere I could scarcely before 
send a respectable dish of Pears to table, since putting up this house I 
have been able to supply them three times daily, and every dish worthy 
of special comment. 
No fire heat is employed in this house, neither is it necessary for 
Apple and Pear growing as closing the house in the afternoon is suffi¬ 
cient to get them large enough for all purposes. The bulk of the Pears 
are from 15 to 30 ozs. in weight, and the flavour is much improved by 
giving plenty of time and air in ripening. I find all the gritty section 
of Pears, such as Beurrd Diel, greatly improved by a little heat; they 
do well in a midseason Peach house, and for ten years I have a tree 
that has never missed its crop. 
As I am often referred to for the sorts that do best under glass, I 
name those under my charge, I am still adding, but would not like 
doing away with either of them. These last two years we have gathered 
Pears in June from trees in pots. These are started in February in one 
of our vineries, and allowed to remain there until the foliage of the 
Beurrd Bachelier, Beurr6 d’Anjou, Beurr4 d’Aremberg, Passe Colmar, 
and Princess. January, Winter Nelis, Marie Benoist, and Knight’s 
IMonarch; February, March, and April, Passe Crasanne, Bergamotte 
Esperen, Prince Napoleon, Easter Beurrb, and Beurrd Ranee. For 
cooking purposes I grow Bellissime d’Hiver, Catillac, and Uvedale’s St. 
Germain. These are all planted out, as the engraving represents, 
although many more are grown in pots.—J. Hunter. 
[Mr. Hunter sent us two very fine specimens of Beurre Bachelier, 
one of which, weighing upwards of 21 ozs., we have had engraved (fig. 3, 
page 50). We have on a previous occasion engraved a fruit of Beurre 
Diel grown by Mr. Hunter, which weighed 30 ozs,, and we congratulate 
him on his great success.] 
THE ESCAPE OF MOISTURE FROM SOILS. 
The following record of experiments on “The Percolation of-Rain 
through Comparatively Light and through Comparatively Heavy Soil,” 
by Mr. Edward Mawley, F.E.Met. Soc., F.B.H.S., will be interesting to 
our readers, many of whom would probably not have anticipated the 
precise results ascertained. Mr. Mawley says :—“ Before considering 
