November 21, 1889. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
435 
I NTENDING- growers for market have had plenty of sound advice 
offered to them lately in the pages of the Journalnf Horticulture, 
rand although much of this ought to prove equally valuable to 
private cultivators I shall yet venture to offer a few remarks for 
the especial benefit of the latter. Amateurs in particular are 
-often puzzled in the matter of ordering trees, both as regards 
-suitable varieties and the best form of tree to plant. Now there 
are considerable numbers that are not worthy of occupying 
valuable wall space, and several varieties that are usually good in 
-quality yet ripen at a time when Pears are most abundant. A 
haphazard selection may be the easiest way out of the difficulty, 
but it is the most unsatisfactory in the end. I hold Pears to be 
the most valuable of all hardy dessert fruit, and that they well 
repay for any trouble rightly directed which may be taken in their 
■cultivation. 
Of early varieties the best is undoubtedly the Jargonelle, and 
this is seldom satisfactory in the open, but requires unlimited wall 
space to have it in perfection. The heaviest crops and the finest 
fruits are obtained from trees occupying the sunny fronts and ends 
of dwelling houses and outbuildings, which the trees rapidly cover. 
The next best positions for it are rather high garden walls with a 
south or south-east aspect. It is a rank grower, hence the need of 
good space. Williams’ Bon Chretien trained against a wall of 
almost any aspect seldom fails to produce heavy crops of fine fruits ; 
but as these keep badly, and seeing that standard and pyramid trees 
are quite as productive, the fruit also being equally satisfactory,.only 
those with plenty of wall space ought to devote any portion of it 
■to the “Williams.” Souvenir du Congre3 resembles the last-named, 
and may be grown in many fruit-growing districts to a much greater 
size. It keeps rather longer, succeeds under any form of training, 
and may well be grown where large collections are preferred. 
Beurre d’Amanlis usually closely succeeds Williams’ Bon 
Chretien, and is a very serviceable variety ; it forms a good 
pyramid, is a sure bearer, and produces still finer fruits on wall- 
trained trees. British Queen with us is not a strong grower, but 
against a sunny wall it rarely fails to bear. The fruit are of medium 
size, ripening during the early part of October, and they are very 
buttery and sweet. Beurre Superfin forms a handsome standard, 
and is very prolific and good in point of quality. Wall-trained 
trees produce much the finest and most clear-skinned fruit, and on 
the whole it may be said to merit a place in every collection, how¬ 
ever limited. It is an October Pear, and keeps fairly well after 
ripening. Fondante d’Automne unfortunately ripens at a period 
when several other good varieties are in season, but it is yet worthy 
-of general cultivation either against a sunny wall or in the open. 
With us it ripens late in October, and does not keep long. 
Pitmaston Duchess has rapidly become very popular, especially 
among exhibitors and lovers of showy fruit. It succeeds admirably 
as a pyramid, and crops very heavily. Wall-trained trees, however, 
are best calculated to produce show fruits, which they rarely fail 
to do. It is in season during October, and may be kept till the 
middle of November. There are many varieties I prefer to eat, 
one of these being Beurre Hardy, which ripens a few days later. 
This excellent Pear does well either as a pyramid or bush, and merits 
a place against a west wall. With Louise Bonne of Jersey every¬ 
body is acquainted ; it forms neat and serviceable pyramids, and 
No 491 .—Vol. XIX, Third Series. 
the trees against walls of all but quite north aspects are very prolific 
and produce very clean handsome fruits. It is an October Pear 
sometimes keeping good till the middle of November, while the 
quality is fairly good, though the peculiar musky flavour does not 
suit all palates. 
Marie Louise is even more generally grown than the last named, 
and may be classed as the most popular Pear in cultivation. Fairly 
good pyramids and profitable standard trees are frequently to be 
met with, but the best fruits are taken from wall trees. Any but 
the coldest aspect suits it, and the very luscious fruit may, if a 
little judgment is exercised both in planting the trees and ripening 
the produce, be had daily throughout October and up to the third 
week in November. Marie Louise d'Ucc’e is quite distinct from 
the last named, and not equal to it as far as quality is concerned. 
It, however, forms capital pyramids, and is one of the surest 
bearers. 
Doyenne du Comice, in season at much about the same time as 
Marie Louise, is even preferred to the latter by many good judges 
of fruit. Altogether it is a grand Pear, and appears to thrive and 
bear well in any position, on any stock, and however trained. It 
should be included in the smallest selections. There are so many 
varieties, several of which I have named, available during October 
and the early part of November that it would seem superfluous to 
add more ; yet I must not omit Marechal de Cour. This is really 
an excellent variety, being suitable for either pyramids or wall 
training, is a good cropper, and the fruit is large, juicy, and sweet. 
After the supplies of the foregoing varieties are exhausted there 
is a falling off, there being but few really good midseason and late 
Pears. Huyshe’s Prince Consort succeeds well against sunny walls, 
and forms a good pyramid or bush. It is a good bearer, and the 
fruits are available about the middle of November. With us it is 
rather firm and dry, but as a rule the quality is fairly good. Beurre 
Diel we cannot dispense with. The quality, though better than 
usual this year, is never first-rate, but we have no surer bearer 
against walls of different aspects, while the fruits are of attrac¬ 
tive appearance and available during the whole of November, and 
sometimes a fortnight later. Beurre Bachelier has long been a 
favourite of mine, and in my opinion ought to be more extensively 
grown. Good pyramids of it are sometimes to be met with, but such 
fine varieties merit wall space. The trees bear well, produce large 
fruits, which are of excellent quality, late in November, and keep 
well after they are ripe. Winter Nelis is one of the smallest 
varieties in cultivation, but there are few or none to surpass it as 
far as quality is concerned. It forms a neat pyramid, but very 
rarely is the fruit from such trees of any value. The finest fruit is 
obtained from double-grafted trees trained against suanybutnot 
necessarily south walls. There are few better croppers, and the 
fruit ripens late in November, frequently keeping good till the end 
of December. Glou Moreau, another well-known variety, is very 
rarely presentable from pyramid or bush trees, nor can it always be 
grown to perfection against walls. With us it never fails, and many 
of the fruits are fairly large, clear-skinned, and luscious, the season 
usually extending from the end of November till January. Beurre 
d’Aremberg succeeds remarkably well as a pyramid or standard, 
and wall trees crop equally heavily and surely. The fruits, unless 
freely thinned, are rather small, and at their best are of fairly 
good quality during December and the early part of January. 
Josephine de Malines must be included in limited lists, being 
one of the most valuable late varieties. It is only fit for training 
against walls of different aspects, and rarely fails to produce 
moderately heavy crops of medium sized fruits which, as a rule, 
ripen during January and keep good till the end of February. It 
promises to be very late this season, and may require a little heat 
to assist in the ripening. Easter Beurre varies surprisingly. It is 
generally very prolific, but in many instances the quality is second 
rate. Young wall trees produce much the best fruit, and with us 
pyramids are a failure ; nor does it keep much after January 
No. 2147 .—Yol. LXXXI., Old Series. 
