January 11, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
35 
earliest batch, and consisted of a few of the forwardest plants, which 
were potted early in September, and brought under cover by the end of 
the month. I trust I have made it sufficiently clear that none of the 
plants are moved from the 6-inch pots until the wood is thoroughly 
matured.— Practice. 
MEYENIA ERECTA. 
The Meyenias constitute a small genus which is closely allied to the 
Thunbergias, although the former are by no means so well known as 
the latter. The cultural requirements of the Meyenias are few. If a 
light, rich compost of fibrous loam, peat, leaf soil, and a small propor¬ 
tion of well-decayed manure be employed, and the plants grown in 
a brisk moist stove temperature, very little difficulty will be experienced 
in obtaining vigorous specimens that will flower satisfactorily. A 
position well exposed to light, and yet sufficiently shaded in hot sunny 
weather to prevent the foliage being scorched, or the colour of the 
flowers deteriorated, is beneficial, with abundant supplies of water to 
the roots and on the foliage while growth is active. The plants have 
sometimes a tendency to become rather straggling unless a little atten¬ 
tion is given to pruning the too greatly extended or bare shoots; but 
this is a matter that is very easily accomplished. As regards increasing 
the stock, cuttings are readily obtained, and if judiciously selected 
usually strike readily in an ordinary propagating frame. The moderately 
firm wood should be chosen, as the tender extremities of the shoots are 
rather liable to damp. 
One of the species of shrubby habit, M. erecta, is represented by the 
engraving (fig. 6). It is a handsome plant, with dark green leaves and 
trumpet-shaped flowers, the corollas of which have a pale yellow tube, 
a throat of a deeper yellow, and a rich purple limb. It is a really 
useful plant, as flowers are produced nearly all through the year, a 
quality which distinguishes it from the other forms. 
BEURRE DIEL PEARS CRACKING. 
In reply to “E. P. R.’s” query (page 578, last volume), respecting 
the cracking of the fruits of this variety “ in wet weather as well as 
dry,” I may say that cracking is its prevailing characteristic on trees 
in the open ground, whether these are standards on the Pear, or bushes, 
pyramids, or cordons on the Quince. The cracking sometimes com¬ 
mences with the setting of the fruit, some of it falling discoloured and 
cracked when it is just formed. This happens in a dry and in a wet 
spring. At other times the fruit only shows discoloured depressed spots 
or patches until it is a quarter or more grown, and then cracking begins 
when it is about half swelled. This is attributed to a wet summer 
following a dry spring ; but the cracking is, as a rule, most pronounced 
in the three-quarters-grown fruit towards the end of summer, and this 
is saddled on a droughty summer, followed by wet at its close. 
A tree of this variety on the Pear, trained to the west wall of a 
building, and covering space 18 feet high by 24 feet = 432 feet super¬ 
ficial, produces on an average thirty-six dozen blemishless fruits, few 
under 1 lb. in weight, and some have reached 29 ozs. each. These 
fruits bring a return of Is. 6d. per dozen, clear of all expenses = £2 14s. 
per annum. 
In comparison with this tree the doings of a standard on the Pear are 
remarkable. Though a giant in its way, and burdening itself year after 
year with loads of fruits, the crop is so pitted and cracked as to be 
rejected for stewing purposes. Both the tree against the wall and the 
standard tree grow in the same soil—a somewhat light gravelly loam 
overlying ferruginous gravels. 
Bushes, pyramids, or cordons on the Quince usually produce a large 
per-centage of cracked fruits in the open, where the soil is a moist rather 
strong loam, about 2 feet deep, and incumbent on a gravelly clay. 
Trees on the same stock and as cordons trained to a wall with an east, 
west, or south aspect, and not a stone’s throw from the bushes and 
pyramids, produce large, clear-skinned, well-flavoured fruit. The 
seasons really make little difference as regards the cause of the disease, 
though there may be considerable variation in the effects. A wet season 
favours the tree’s enemies more than its fruit, a dry summer abets the 
tree more than its plagues. This with special reference to cracking in 
Pears. 
“ R. P. R.’s” Beurrd Diel Pears from a south wall were “of very 
good flavour.” What does that mean ? Pears free from cracking in the 
hottest and driest position in a garden 1 It signifies thoroughly ripened 
wood, sturdy blossoms, stout growths, and thick epidermal tissues. 
This in consequence of the warmth and dryness of the situation. The 
tree against a south wall has a great advantage as regards climate—a 
far more important factor in Pear growing than is generally credited. 
Of its value “R. P. R.’s” evidence is singularly convincing—Pears 
grown against a south wall do not crack, but those on bush trees “ crack 
in wet weather as well as dry.” Why 1 The wood is not thoroughly 
ripened, the blossoms are succulent, the growths soft, and the epidermal 
tissues are thin. This because it receives less heat and more moisture 
than a similar tree against a south wall. Relatively, the tree against a 
south wall has the advantages of a bush tree in the favouring climate 
of France, and is in a better condition for resisting invasions from 
parasites than a bush tree in the open. This is a very important point— 
climate—in the cultivation of Pears, for in no other fruit is there so 
great divergence in the hardiness of varieties, and it is mainly upon 
selecting those suited to the environment that success or failure 
depends. Draining and soil sanitation greatly aid climate ; lifting, root- 
pruning, and sound cultural practice render the culture of certain 
varieties feasible under disadvantageous circumstances, but the main 
point is the “ fitness of things.” 
“E. P. E.’s” Beurrd Diel Pears crack on bush trees because they 
have the epidermis destroyed in places, and the underlying and adjacent 
tissues more or less hardened by the abstraction of their cell contents. 
This is caused by the scale fungus (Cladosporium dendriticum var. 
pyrinum), which, no doubt, lives on the bush trees from year to year for 
reasons before given—the facilities they afford for its growth. Spraying 
with sulphate of copper solution, 4 ozs. to gallons of water, 
before the buds unfold, and syringing with sulphide of potassium, 
4 oz. to a gallon of water, directly the fruit is set, and repeating twice 
at intervals of three weeks, is recommended as a preventive and curative 
FI(4. 6.—MEYENIA ERECTA. 
of scale fungus. Lifting or root-pruning, with the addition of fresh soil, 
would aid the trees against the fungus, and is advised, but the better 
plan would be regrafting with a variety that succeeds in a similar 
situation.—G. Abbey. 
NOTES ON EUPHORBIAS, 
I READ with interest the remarks which appeared on page 12 in 
reference to my recent article respecting the above plants. In regard 
to the two varieties of Euphorbia (Poinsettia) pulcherrima I quite 
agree with Mr. W. Strugnell, that where a mass of colour is required 
during the present month preference ought most certainly be given to 
the later variety. I have some thirty or forty plants in full beauty at 
the present time, forming an excellent succession to the earlier variety, 
which are now past their best; but it is not everyone that has the 
facilities for cultivating a sufficient number of plants for this purpose. 
Where practicable I would strongly recommend both varieties to be 
grown. My reasons for recommending the early variety in preference 
to the late one are twofold, for not only are the bracts produced with 
greater certainty and of a more even character, but they are also at 
their best during November and December, when the supply of flowers 
is limited. 
With all due respect to Mr. Strugnell I must still adhere to my 
previous statement—viz., that of growing them in a cold house in 
preference to frames. In referring to the plants grown at Heywood Mr. 
Strugnell says, “A few plants were kept indoors throughout the summer, 
but the much greater length of stem obtained by this course of treat¬ 
ment does not bear out the advantages claimed by Mr. Parrant.” No 
reference is made concerning the treatment the above plants received. 
I am confident that were the cultural details recommended in my 
previous article carried out the plants will be cq'^lly as sturdy as those 
grown in a cold frame. 
I omitted to say in my previous notes that when the weather was 
