606 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ December 7, 189J. 
racemes of flowers, the green sepals and petals being contrasted 
with the broad, heart-shaped white lip. It needs a warm house, 
and abundance of water during growth. 
Amongst Orchids that usually flower in October or November, 
but which can frequently be prolonged to a later period, the fol¬ 
lowing may be named—Dendrobiums bigibbum and superbiens ; 
Odontoglossums bictoniense, gloriosum, and Insleayi ; Cattleyas 
Bowringiana and luteola ; Lselias autumnalis, Perrini, and pedun- 
cularis ; Angraecum Scottianum, Barker), Skinneri, and Pholidota 
imbricata. Of those flowering in January and February, but which 
may be occasionally had earlier, we can note Dendrobium aureum, 
crassinode, Devonianum, and primulinum ; Laelias elegans and 
superbiens ; Phalaenopsis Schilleriana, amabilis, and grandiflora ; 
Pilumna fragrans ; Maxillaria aromatica ; Odontoglossums constric- 
tum, maculatum, pulchellum, and Edwardi ; Oncidium varicosum, 
and ornithorhyncum._ 
In the third list—those which flower continuously or at different 
seasons—we have Cypripedium Edeni; Odontoglossums grande, 
crispum, and Bossi majus ; Oncidiums Forbesi and flexuosum, 
usually autumn flowers ; several of the Masdevallias, Vanda suavis, 
and numbers of others which cannot be enumerated here. It will 
be seen, however, from the foregoing that there need be no lack of 
Orchid flowers at Christmas as far as regards the plants that can 
be selected to produce them at that period. If through mismanage¬ 
ment or the unavoidable fogs the plants fail to satisfy us, we 
have to take heart, try again, and hope for a better future. In 
some seasons we have had an Orchid display that would be con¬ 
sidered satisfactory at a much more favourable time of the year, 
and then we have had the reward for all disappointments.— 
Okchidist. 
SELF-FERTILISING PEARS. 
“According to Prof. Waite of the American Agricultural 
Department, the varieties of Pears which are self-fertilising are 
Doyenne, Le Conte, Kieffer, Baffum, Flemish Beauty, Seckel, and 
Tyson; the following are not, and must be near some staminate 
variety to be fruitful: Bartlett, Anjou, Clapp’s Favourite, Clairgeau, 
Sheldon, Mt. Vernon, Lawrence, Howell, Louise Bonne, Souvenir 
du Congres, Winter Nelis, Bose, Easter, and Superfin. 
“ Not more than three rows of, say, one variety should be planted 
together, and they should be separated from the next three rows of 
the same variety by at least one row of another variety. Probably it 
would be still better to plant two rows of one kind and one row of 
another kind alternately. 
“ In a majority of cases it was found that the fruit produced by 
self-fertilisation was quite different from that produced by cross¬ 
fertilisation. Occasional specimens of self-fertilised Bartletts were 
invariably smoother and slimmer, the cross-fertilised ones rougher 
and broader. This difference was so constant as to be striking. 
“ A still greater difference was shown in the seeds. Self-fertilised 
fruits had but few seeds, and these seldom perfect. The cross- 
fertilised specimens showed the regular number of perfect seeds. 
Buffum, self-fertilised, almost without exception had imperfect seeds. 
The self-fertilised fruits are not the normal ones, and would not pass 
as typical specimens. 
“ Fruit growing in ordinary mixed orchards, under ordinary 
conditions, show by their shape, &c., that they are the result of cross¬ 
fertilisation. With Apples the results were less decided. Pollen 
taken from other trees of the same variety usually acts in the same 
way as that taken from the same tree. The different trees all came 
from the same seed, and are really one and the same so far as the 
character of flowers and pollen is concerned. 
“ Many plants procure fertilisation by the aid of the wind. Not 
so the Pear. This depends altogether on insects for the transfer of 
the pollen. A great many varieties of insects visit Apple and Pear 
blossoms—flies, beetles, bees, &c. The honey bee is the most regular 
and persistent visitor, and on account of its great activity, the most 
important. During rains, strong winds, or in cold weather these 
insects do not come out, and flowers may fail to get properly 
fertilised.” 
The foregoing has been sent to Mr. Abbey from a colonial paper, 
and has suggested the following comments from our able correspon¬ 
dent :— 
The broaching of this subject at the present time is not inopportune, 
for a large number of fruit trees yet remain to be planted, and on 
their selection and arrangement success or failure in a great measure 
depends. 
Every adviser (and they are about as plentiful as Blackberries in 
September) on fruit-growing for profit is emphatic in restricting the 
varieties of the several fruits to as few as possible, consistent with a 
full supply of produce from the earliest to the latest period of their 
respective seasons. To this no objection can be taken, but when 
varieties are enumerated which are incapable of self-fertilisation to 
the extent of producing full crops of the finest fruit, a few words of 
caution against their exclusive planting are imperative, for some 
varieties are not inherently fruitful, but owe their fertility to cross¬ 
fertilisation by the pollen of another or several varieties. 
The incapability of self-fertilisation in some varieties of cultivated 
plants was first pointed out by the illustrious Darwin in his “ Origin 
of Species,” and the soundness of his views and deductions have been 
verified in the American orchards, where the trees on the dwarf or 
low standard system are planted in blocks—a number of acres of one 
variety exclusively. This method is fast becoming the established 
practice on this side of the Atlantic, therefore it is necessary to point 
out its evils as well as its advantages. 
By our system of mixed orchards—a great number of varieties 
and pernicious planting, or a row of one variety and another of a 
different kind—those incompetent of self-fertilisation would be 
fertilised by the pollen of other trees in the row adjoining through 
the agency of the wind, bees, or other insects. A variety absolutely 
sterile as regards the pollen on its own blossom may be and generally 
is rendered fertile by the pollen from another variety, and the result 
is heavier and more constant crops of finer fruit. Instead, therefore, 
of planting an acre or more of a self-fertilising variety by itself the 
non-self-fertilising kinds should be planted with it in alternating rows, 
still keeping the early, medium, and late flowering varieties as much 
together as possible, for to be of service the blossoming of varieties 
for cross-fertilisation must be simultaneous. No record of the time 
of blossoming of Pears has, so far as I am aware, been made, but 
such would be of great value, not only as showing the difference in 
the hardiness of the blossoms of different varieties, but as an aid in 
planting, so that those which expand about the same time might be 
placed favourably for cross-fertilisation. 
The excellent record kept by Mr. W. Paul, and given a few years 
ago in the Journal of Horticulture, of the blossoming dates of several 
varieties of Apples, might advantageously be imitated in respect of 
other—indeed all hardy fruits, for such records are not only interest¬ 
ing but suggestive of the importance of careful observation, and of 
the great benefit calculated to be conferred on succeeding genera¬ 
tions, who will see in them guidance in their culture. 
In the Journal of Horticulture, June Ist, 1893, page 437, I had 
the pleasure of making some remarks on Prof. Waite’s observations 
on the self-fertilising properties or otherwise of certain fruits and 
their varieties, and I now proceed to make further comments on the 
above excerpt from an American paper with special reference to 
Pears as coming under my personal observation. 
Selffertilising Varieties. —Summer Doyenne (Doyenne d’Ete) in¬ 
variably sets its fruits well, the blossom being bold and perfect 
anthers laden with pollen. (Beurre Giffard has grand flowers, but 
sets its fruits sometimes indifferently, fertilised with Summer Doyenne 
it sets splendidly). Le Comte and Kieffer I had from the late Mr. 
T. Laxton, Bedford, and they proved very floriferous, remarkably 
hardy in blossom, and set fruit enormously ; but their fruit was as 
“ hard as nails,” and about as flavourless as Hawthorn twigs, very 
inferior to our second-rate Pears. Buffum is an October fruit, an 
American variety, originated in Khode Island, and however good it 
may be there it is seldom passable in this country. Flemish Beauty 
has a grand blossom. Seckle and Tyson are both American Pears. 
The first has a very pretty and hardy blossom, sets its fruit well, and 
its fruit is one of the sweetest. It succeeds as a standard in the North 
of England, and bears fruit when many others have the blossom 
destroyed by frost. The last is seldom good in this country. This 
completes Prof. Waite’s list of self-fertilising Pears. 
Crawford and Lammas are pictures of beauty when in blossom, 
usually “ swarming” with bees, and generally bear heavy crops. 
Both are better in quality than many newer varieties. Beacon 
certainly must be classed as a self-fertilising variety, its bold stamens 
and pollen-laden anthers attest this. Madame Treyve cannot be 
beaten for a free-bearing kind, the fruit being large and good. 
Fertility fertilises itself and every non-fertilising variety. Some 
trees of Passe Colmar that fruited erratically borne constantly when 
Fertility was introduced near them. Hessle is good for itself, and 
for fertilising Williams’ Bon Chretien, Clapp’s Favourite, and 
Jargonelle, as opposite varieties to Hessle as can well be. Bees 
appear to delight in the free-bearing varieties, and have great 
partiality for Comte de Lamy, so have I for its fruit—the best of all 
Pears. Its blossoms are very hardy, and it carried heavy crops in 
seasons when no other varieties in the open had any fruit worth 
naming. Jules d’Airolles is another self-fertiliser, and it is far better 
ill cold districts than Louise Bonne of Jersey. Beurre Bachelier is 
highly commended for free-beariug and good quality in cold districts. 
Beurre Capiaumont sets its fruit when many sorts fail to crop, but 
the quality satisfies few. Bishop’s Thumb must be included in the 
