September 21, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
269 
blooms only sparsely after the middle of August. I have this year 
discarded Mrs. Pollock in favour of Black Douglas on account of 
the more distinct bronze zone in the leaf of the latter. If a golden 
variety were required I should give the preference to Crystal 
Palace Gem. Those who have some difficulty in raising a sufficient 
stock of Lobelias from cuttings will do well to obtain seed of 
Sutton’s Dark Blue, which I have this season tried with results 
that exceeded my expectations, the plants being so uniform in 
both colour and habit as to leave little to be desired. 
After the brilliant sunshine experienced throughout the summer 
we might reasonably expect to hear of many failures with Violas, 
but we are happy to record the fact that our own have continued 
to flower for a longer period than they did last year. They have, 
however, received enormous quantities of water, and unremitting 
attention in the removal of faded flowers. This, together with 
sweet rich soil and autumn or early spring planting, are the true 
secrets of success in Viola culture. Two long beds of Countess of 
Hopetoun (white) edged with a broad band of Lobelia, have 
throughout the summer been extremely effective. Another 
hexagon bed planted with Viola Yellow Boy, edged with Lobelia 
and dotted opposite the angles with single plants of Heliotrope 
Miss Nightingale, the centre being occupied with a Chamaerops 
gracilis, supplied a novel and pleasing combination. 
Among annuals the French Miniatum Marigolds have been 
unusually good. Orange and Queen of Dwarfs I can strongly 
recommend. The colours are very effective, and they flower 
splendidly until the approach of frost. A fine pink variety of 
Phlox Drummondi having a white eye is excellent for planting in 
large masses. Cornflowers, Stocks, Zinnias, Gaillardias and Dian- 
thuses have all rendered material assistance in keeping both beds 
and borders gay, as well as in supplying cut flowers. Asters have 
unfortunately been to a great extent a failure, the plants being 
attacked by a minute fly in the early stages of growth, and where 
insecticides were not speedily applied the subsequent growth 
was unusually weak, and the flowers as a natural result small. 
Notwithstanding a few failures, I am inclined to the belief that the 
flower gardens of Britain will be long remembered for the brilliant 
spectacle they have presented during the last three months.— 
H. Dunkin. 
PEARS VERSUS PEACHES. 
“ Pears are infinitely better and more profitable than Peaches, 
and we are therefore going to substitute the former for the latter 
on all the suitable wall space in the garden.” Thus remarked a well- 
known gardener to me a few weeks ago, and judging by the appearance 
of the trees to which he pointed with evident pride he would be 
perfectly justified in carrying out the proposed change. The young 
Pear trees planted three years ago against a wall with a south 
aspect were in vigorous health, bearing large stout foliage and a 
heavy crop of magnificent fruits. The latter were swelling rapidly, 
because they had been thinned and copious supplies of liquid 
manure with ample surface dressings administered during the 
hot weather. Pears of this kind are a credit to the grower, are 
appreciated at the table of his employer, and if disposed of in the 
market at a suitable period when there is no glut would doubtless 
realise handsome prices, and prove a remunerative investment. 
Such a testimony could hardly be given the outdoor Peaches. The 
trees were old and weakly, having been grown in their present 
position for perhaps thirty years, and during the greater portion 
of that time had, according to my informant, failed to ripen the 
wood or fruit properly. This season, of course, has been an 
exceedingly good one for Peaches on walls, and in the case men¬ 
tioned the fruits although small were ripening early in August. 
But this is an exception to the rule, and in all probability will not 
occur again for some time, hence the gardener to whom I have 
alluded still remains firm as regards his decision to substitute 
Pears for Peaches. 
Opinions vary, according to experience, as to whether Peaches 
can be profitably grown on walls without the aid of glass, and it is 
quite probable that among the numerous readers of this Journal 
there are many persons who are quite ready to take up the cudgels 
on behalf of this fruit. That good Peaches can be, and are, grown 
on open walls in various parts of the country will be readily 
admitted, and this, too, in spite of adverse seasons. To my know¬ 
ledge there are gardens where it is a rare occurrence for the open 
air Peach crop to fail, no matter what the weather may be ; but 
these, it need hardly be said, are situated in warm favoured 
localities. Much, no doubt, depends upon the treatment given to 
the trees and the soil in which they are growing, but instances 
could be mentioned where, under the best management, failures 
generally accrue, primarily through local surroundings and 
climatic influences. In such cases, therefore, one might wisely 
do away with the Peaches and plant Pear trees in their stead. 
and the results, in nine cases out of ten, would be of a satis¬ 
factory nature. 
To illustrate the various opinions regarding this subject, a few 
cases in point might advantageously be ci^ed. In response to a 
question as to the advisability of growing Pears in preference to 
Peaches on walls in the open air, a gardener, who has charge of one 
of the finest gardens in Yorkshire, wrote me as follows :—“I cannot 
understand anyone in the north attempting to grow Peaches on 
open walls when glass can be put up so cheaply. The Peaches on 
the walls in these gardens did not pay for the labour of nailing. 
In 1887 the Peach wall (a long one) was covered with glass—m 
fact, a house 11 feet wide was erected, and since then it has been 
heated. I have kept an account of the produce sold, which has 
now more than paid for the whole outlay. Had the Peaches been 
on open walls the returns would have been nil. I think Pears 
would pay better on south walls, but then one must not grow many 
varieties—something to please the eye is necessary. My experi¬ 
ence is that nothing would pay better than Pitmaston Duchess. 
This variety is a good cropper, fruit large, and of excellent flavour; 
one has no difficulty in making 6d. each of first-rate fruit. Clapp’s 
Favourite is another good showy Pear I can strongly recommend 
for the purpose.” From the foregoing it will be seen that in this 
instance Peaches are preferred so long as they can be grown under 
glass, and then they prove remunerative, so much so as to pay in 
less than five years for the outlay of erecting a house nearly 
100 yards long. Against this it will be noticed that Pears are 
recommended as being the more profitable on south walls, and 
many gardeners who are struggling with Peaches in the open air 
in northern or unfavourable districts will do well to bear this in 
mind. 
To go further afield, a case in Northumberland might be 
mentioned. Some years ago perhaps one of the finest Peach walls 
in the country could have been seen in the gardens at Howick Hall, 
about forty miles north of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and situated on 
the coast line. The wall is, or has been, heated by flues in the 
old fashioned way, and many years ago, I am told, grand Peaches 
were grown there. For a short period the trees were partly under 
my charge, and in 1887, the last season I saw them, the fruit 
ripened fairly well, and the earlier varieties coloured beautifully. 
These, however, were by themselves in that respect, for although 
the flues were sometimes slightly heated when dull weather 
prevailed, the later varieties failed in ordinary seasons to ripen 
the fruit properly, and the wood seldom finished as it should have 
done. In consequence of this a change was proposed by Mr. 
Inglis, the gardener, and Pears were substituted in the place of 
some of the Peaches. This took place in 1887, and since then 
no doubt more Pear trees have been planted against the south 
walls with good results. In connection with this it may be men¬ 
tioned that whilst there I, acting under instructions, cut down 
several old unfruitful Pear trees, and in the spring of 1887 
grafted the stocks with other varieties. Writing me in February 
last year Mr. Inglis said, “ You will remember grafting a Conseiller 
de la Cour (Marechal de Cour) on the stocks against the south 
wall. Last autumn, 1891, I gathered from those same grafts fruits 
weighing 15 oz^. each. I also had Pitmaston Duchess weighing 
18 ozs., which I consider good for the far north.” Fruits of this 
weight are unquestionably good, and are, moreover, a credit to the 
grower. There is at Howick a remarkably fine collection of hardy 
fruit, and, notwithstanding the obstacles with which northerners 
have to combat, Mr. Inglis can always manage to make a splendid 
display with his Apples and Pears, Should this meet his eye, as it 
probably will, a few remarks from his pen as to “ Pears versm 
Peaches” would no doubt be appreciated by numerous readers of 
the Journal, some of whom, perhaps, are not quite so successful in 
hardy fruit culture in a northern county. 
Coming south one might also enumerate numerous instances 
where Peaches on walls in the open air are by no means a success, and 
Pears are being planted in their places. One case in this latitude 
will, however, be sufficient to prove that no apology is necessary for 
bringing forward the subject. At Cadland Park, situated on the 
shores of the Solent, aud where the soil is light and warm, the 
Peaches for the most part on open walls this year, as they have 
been apparently in previous seasons, are a failure. The trees a few 
weeks ago when I saw them were comparatively leafless and the 
fruit was poor compared to that grown in unheated houses. This 
I would hasten to add was not the fault of the grower but rather 
that of the climate ; and as before mentioned in these pages, 
Mr. Garner, on taking charge in the spring of the present year, 
with the tact of a good gardener, wisely decided “ to do away with 
the Peaches” that were growing on a wall facing south east and 
plant Pears. The trees were crippled owing to the fact that during 
March and April the leaves, being exposed rather to the east winds, 
usually become badly blistered, and thus the crop is annually 
affected. If this occurs in a season like the present when there 
