October 27. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
09 
do for these days of steam. This distich, doubtless, originated 
in the fact, that a century or two ago only one idea seemed 
to prevail with regard to not only Pears, hut fruit-trees in 
general. Ground must he deeply dug and enriched; and 
as for root-pruning, why it was performed with all possible 
pomp when the young tree was consigned to its destined 
station, hut nothing of the kind ever after. I believe, how¬ 
ever, that Mons. de la Quintinye has a hint or two at the 
possibility of such things, but he speedily shirks the subject. 
Besides all this, it must be confessed, that the kinds in 
vogue in those days were not so famed for precocity of 
bearing as some of those of modern date. In the “ Com¬ 
plete Gardener ” of Mons. de la Quintinye, by London and 
Wise, now lying before me, I see the following as most 
highly esteemed in those days. I give them as they stand 
in the edition, dated 1710:—-“La bon Chretien d’Hyver; 
La Beurree; La Virgonlee; L’Epine d’Hyver; La Crasanue; 
La St. Genuine; La Colmar; La Louis bonne; La Vert 
longue ; " Ac. &c. These seem to be the chief Pears there 
recommended, but we do not vouch for our author’s style or 
orthography. There is, of course, a cojiious list of autumn 
Pears besides, but these I extract as being of the class we 
now call winter Pears. It is rather amusing to look over 
our author’s descriptive account of their merits or demerits, 
the phraseology of those days being, of course, more 
obsolete. For instance, of La Crasanne, he says, “ it 
perislieth very leisurely.” Of others, ho says, “ they are 
indifferent good;” and the terms “doughy, glewy pulp, 
sowrish, wildish taste, competent bigness,” etc. &c., would 
seem to show that we really have made some advance. I 
can fancy how such a nice palate as de la Quintinye’s would 
have run riot over a first-rate Winter Neilis, or a melting 
Marie Louise , of some ten ounces in weight, as we have 
them in these days. 
But then, as to bearing; most of their keeping Pears were 
a long time coming into bearing. As far as I can learn, 
they had nothing comparable—taking size, early bearing, 
flavour, and prolific habit—to such Pears as Beurre die/, 
Louis bonne of Jersey, and we may add Beurre d’Amaulis; 
others might be quoted, but these will suffice for illus¬ 
tration. These things, combined with highly-simplified 
modes of culture, based on physiological principles, will 
warrant us in anticipating, that before many years have 
passed, good Pears will be as common as good Apples; 
for were people to be better assured of their being able 
to produce keeping Pears profitably, many broad acres 
would, no doubt, be speedily planted. 
The only opposing point, in reality, with which I am 
acquainted, is to be found in the fact, that the Pear blooms 
much earlier than the Apple ; and thereby undergoes more 
changes of severe weather. This is, indeed, a fact; but 
how fares it with our ordinary orchard Pears, standards of 
which may be found all over the kingdom a century or two 
old, and which, on the average, produce as fair crops as 
many Apples? But it will be said, the bloom of our im¬ 
proved breeds is more tender; perhaps it is so with some 
of them, not with all; hut what, if it can be shown that this 
is owing to over-culture, and that a better ripening of the 
wood will all but place them on a par ? 
Now, I am prepared to admit, that with all this, it would 
be expedient to afford some degree of protection, and whilst 
our friends around are so clamorous for heated walls or 
glazed frontages to their Peach walls, I do hope they will 
not deny me the boon of a few spruce or other boughs to 
stick amongst the Pears. This has been my kind of protec¬ 
tion for a few years past; and when once stuck amongst the 
Pears they are not removed; for any process which involves 
much extra labour would not fit my case. With this simple 
proceedure I have had crops which have astonished most 
persons who have seen them. Mr. Paul, of Cheshunt 
Nurseries, the eminent Rose-grower, called ffere a few days 
since, and was fairly taken by surprise. He told me he had 
not seen such an illustration of the dwarfing and tying-down 
system in all his travels. I have a Marie Louise dwarfed, 
and which occupies a plot of ground about eiglit-feet square, 
which had nearly a bushel of fine Pears on this year; they 
hung down like ropes of onions, and the tree is not more 
than four feet in height. I merely quote these things to show 
that what I here suggest is not crude speculation, but is 
backed by real facts. Certainly, it must be admitted, that in 
consequence of the seasons varying so much, some of our 
Pears are, at times, by no means so satisfactory in point of 
flavour as could be desired; but one thing must here be 
confessed, and that is, in purveying for a family, the demand 
of which varies by unforeseen circumstances at times, it be¬ 
comes necessary to keep some kinds beyond their natural 
period; and this is even done at the expense of flavour. 
Thus, it might be desirable to keep some of the Gluut 
Morceau until the middle of March, for some special occa¬ 
sion ; a gentleman may ask his gardener, “ Can you do it ?” 
He answers, “ Yes;” but behold, when they come to table, 
they look plump enough, to be sure, and look like fine Pears, 
but those whose temerity lead them to attack one will be 
fearfully disappointed. 
I find, by experience, that Pears, like other fruits, when 
swelling a crop, require a certain amount of moisture. This 
summer has proved the matter beyond a doubt; for although 
a cool summer, some kinds have swelled larger than usual. 
This, however, is no new idea ; for of old time, Pears were 
said to crack through copious rains after drought, they having 
become what is termed hide-bound. But this only applies 
to trees of some age, or carrying disproportionate crops. I 
have a line of trees, on a dwarfing system, which have been 
under training thus for twenty years; the stems of many 
being nine inches in diameter, although not one of them is 
more than four feet in height. These have never received 
one barrowful of manure in the twenty years, neither has 
the waterpot been once in request; and I can say, that the 
older they get the more valuable they become. So, then, 
Pear-planting will never affect the manure question, and we 
may thus hope for the patronage of the agricultural portion 
of the community. 
There is still a vast difference of opinion as to the use of 
stocks; some vowing a lasting fidelity to the Quince stock. 
This strongly reminds one of the discussions in the case of 
Manelli versus Dog Bose; although we cannot make a 
complete parallel of the two cases. I still think that some 
lands, perhaps many, will be best dwarfed on the Quince, 
providing the soil suits that stock; but, how any man in his 
senses can think, that because an unfortunate Quince has a 
fancy Pear bestriding him, that this same compound will 
thrive where a genuine Quince, without any superaddition, 
will not, I am quite at a loss to guess. Vt'ould this apply 
to a Larch, with a Lebanon for a leader? If so, the roots of 
plants are certainly very good-natured things; and as to 
power of select ion, why this will almost settle this long-dis¬ 
puted point at a blow. 
In order to illustrate the matter, let us suppose Cranberries 
grafted on some of our Yacciniums which are thriving in 
dry upland-heath soil. Who will engage that we have a crop 
of Cranberries ? 
Even in London and Wise’s days, as I find in their “Com¬ 
plete Gardener,” before alluded to, De la Quintinye talks of 
Pears answering on the Quince, if in clayey and moist soil. 
Perhaps, nothing is so ill-understood, in the whole realm of 
horticulture, as the question of stocks. Somehow, this utili¬ 
tarian affair is left entirely to our nurserymen. 
My opinion is still, that if the free stock were annually 
transplanted for the first three or four years, from the 
seedbed, there would be little need of Quince stocks. The 
sole problem rests here, as I think. In order to ripen the 
wood of tender Pears they must, depend on surface roots chiefly. 
The Quince produces these in abundance, but it is a saucy 
customer: not everybody can understand his bent. Pear 
stocks, with such roots, are the most natural stocks; but it 
is not their habit to produce such. The question then is, 
Can they be made to do so ? I at once answer, Yes. I have 
said here, in an offhand way, “transplanted annually the 
first three or four years.” Now this must be taken 
guardedly, for it is not obliged to be exactly thus. Our 
practical men will carry out this to their own taste. I only 
wish that I could get some of our nurserymen to try this 
plan, for assuredly, the Quince is but an awkward customer 
as at present handled. R. Eerington. 
POULTRY DISEASES. 
/.s’ the roup in fowls really contagious ?—I am quite awai’e 
that nine out often of your readers are ready to exclaim, 
