38 
•i 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ February, 
quality; it partakes more of the nature of Marie Louise than of the Glou 
Morceau.” The fruit is described as “ very large, oblong obovate ; the stalk 
short, obliquely attached, projecting more on one side than the other; the eye 
in a moderate-sized depression, the segments of the calyx erect and projecting to 
the level of the fruit; skin soft, smooth, yellovir, with slight thin russet near the 
stalk. Flesh yellowish-white, exceedingly melting, buttery, very juicy and rich.” 
Its remarkably tender, melting flesh, and its rich sprightly flavour and delicate 
perfume, are qualities in which it is excelled by few of our large-fruited varieties 
of Pear. 
Mr. Scott, who calls it Williams’ Duchesse d’Angouleme, remarks that it is 
a noble fruit, the largest melting Pear known to him, and certainly one of the 
finest. He adds that it grows freely on the Quince, on which it fruited with 
him in 1869, on a tree two years old, and the next year, 1870, was in full 
flower again on trees three feet high.—T. Moore. 
SPRING WORK AMONGST AURIC CJLAS. 
IAVING promised on a former occasion to give the result of my experience in 
the growth of this favourite flower, I cannot do better than begin with 
a note on the work which is requisite at the commencement of the season. 
My plan has been, for years, about the middle of January—weather per¬ 
mitting, or as soon after as an opportunity offers—to commence wuth the cleaning 
and top-dressing of the plants ; but first of all, if the weather will allow, I take all 
the pots out of the frames, place them in a shed or summer-house, and then 
brush and clean thoroughly all round the frame, stirring and roughing up the 
bottom whereon the plants have stood, taking a little of the surface away, and 
replacing it with a slight covering of fresh sand or coal-ashes, whichever is made 
use of. I prefer clean-washed sand from the road, and with it I mix a quantity 
of fresh-slaked quick-lime. I should here mention that my plants are grown in 
the old-fashioned frames, set on the surface of the ground. Some growers have 
latterly had the bottoms of their low frames boarded and shelved. I suppose these 
frames are termed Auricula houses, and I am told they are a great improvement 
over the old-fashioned frames. I have not yet had an opportunity of witnessing 
one of the latest construction, but if spared and health permits, I will make a 
point of seeing one of them before another season is out, and after that I shall 
not fail to give my unbiased opinion thereon, be it what it may. 
To revert to top-dressing. After cleaning the frames, I commence to clean the 
plants. Having first obtained a small threepenny painter’s brush, I take the pots 
one by one, give the plants a good brushing all over the leaves, also underneath, and 
round the bole of the plant. Then I take a wooden skewer, run it round the 
inside of the rim of the pot to the depth of an inch or so, then turn the pot on 
one side, just giving it a slight tap with the open hand till all the loose mould 
has fallen off, and having at hand some fresh, well-sweetened mould, not over old, 
as some folks recommend, I fill up the pot with a small tin scoop to its usual 
