96 
THE CORDON SYSTEM OF GROWING PEARS AT HOLME LACY. 
abundant choice for experiments, since in the last edition of the “ Fruit Manual,” the best work of 
the kind in our language, Dr. Hogg gives no less than six hundred varieties of Pears. Without 
pretending then to name those best adapted to all places, a short list may be given of those which 
have proved to be of first rate quality, in a succession of seasons at Holme Lacy, viz.: 
Beurre Gijfard. 
Beurrd dlAmanlis. 
Williams Bon Chretien. 
Fondante d’A utomne. 
Seckle. 
Beurre Hardy. 
Beurre Superjin. 
Louise Bonne of Jersey. 
Beurre Bose. 
Mardchal de Cour. 
Marie Louise. 
Doyenne du Comice. 
Thompson s Pear 
Beurre de Jonghe. 
Winter Nelis. 
Beurrd T Aremberg. 
Josephine de Malines. 
Glou Morceau. 
Monarch. 
Bergamotte Espdren. 
These varieties are named in their usual order of ripening but in this respect Pears are capricious 
and should be carefully watched, especially as so many first-rate October and November varieties 
may become ripe at the same time. Many other excellent sorts could be named, but this list of 
twenty varieties should give a succession of fruit in maturity from the first week in August to the 
end of March. 
It may be interesting to add the weight of some of the pears grown on the Cordon Wall at 
• Holme Lacy, and which have been produced moreover by trees bearing a full crop of fruit: 
Duchesse d'hiver (a cooking pear) ... ... 18^ oz. 
Easter Beurrd 
... 16 oz. 
Glou Morceau 
... 14 oz. 
Beurrd Diel 
15 oz. 
Doyennd d’Alenpon 
13^ oz. 
Van Mons Leon Leclerc 
... 15 oz. 
Beurrd Bose 
... I2| OZ. 
Beurrd Super fin 
14 oz. 
Zdphirin Grdgoire ... 
I IJ OZ. 
Mardchal de Cour ... 
14 oz. 
Bergamotte Espdren 
... IIjj OZ. 
Triomphe de Jodoigne 
... 14 oz. 
Josephine de Malines 
... I I oz. 
and fruit from Doyenne Boussoch, Beurre Hardy, Williams Bon Chretien, Madame Millet, Figue 
d'Alen$on, Beurrd Sterckmans , Duchesse cCAngouleme and several others have given similar weights. 
The Cordon System, established by Monsieur Du Breuil, simply means, as Mr. Robinson has 
well defined it, “ a tree confined to a single stem ” ; and the great advantages derived from growing 
Pears by this method are: (i) The wall space is quickly covered: (2) An early return of fruit is 
obtained from the trees: (3) The fruit is large, free from spots, and of fine flavour: (4) Many 
varieties may be grown on a limited wall space : (5) And therefore fruit is obtained in season for a 
much longer period: (6) A greater quantity of fruit is obtained in proportion to the wall space 
occupied : (7) The equal distribution of the sap through the tree : (8) Simplicity of management: 
and (9) if one tree dies from any cause, only a small amount of wall space is lost, and, with a little 
care, its place may be quickly supplied. 
