0> 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May (i. 
Knaresborougb, from wliich the petrifying water 
distils.” 
The cultivation of this species is the same as that of 
j Gystopteris alpina previously stated, and in addition 
we quote the following from Mr. Moore’s “ British 
Eerns”:— 
“From the delicate texture of this Fern, and its adap¬ 
tability to various situations, it is well suited for cultivation ; 
j and grows vigorously planted either on rockwork or in pots, 
, and placed either within a frame or without oue in a shel- 
: tered and shady position; it however becomes most beau¬ 
tiful when developed in the damp close atmosphere of a 
frame or glazed case. The small size of the plant renders 
it more convenient for pot culture than many other kinds. 
The other species of Cystopteris are similar in habit, and 
may be cultivated in the same manner. The dormant 
j crowns should not be kept too damp during the winter. 
| They all propagate readily by separating the crowns when¬ 
ever more than one is formed, and most of them form new 
i crowns rapidly.” 
We shall publish, next week, the Report from the 
Council of the Horticultural Society read at its anni¬ 
versary meeting on the 1st inst. 
This report was received and adopted, aud after two 
bourn dull talking, a resolution, also, was unanimously 
agreed to in favour of a recommendation from the 
Council, “ to defer closing the subscription for the 
present,” and the 24th of June was the day appointed 
for closing the subscription list. 
This subscription, our readers will remember, is for 
the purpose of saving the Chiswick Garden to the 
Society. For this purpose £5000 are required, and 
more than £2,700 of it have been subscribed. 
A proposal, first originated, we believe, in our pages, 
is now entertained of combining the Horticultural 
Society’s Garden with that of the Crystal Palace. If 
the chief contents of the Garden at Chiswick can he 
moved to Sydenham; and if young grafted specimens 
j from all the fruit-trees can he secured, we see many 
| advantages besides which render such a union desirable. 
PEAR-TREES AND THEIR AILMENTS. 
I scarcely know' how to approach this subject in a 
proper spirit: no man has been more pleased, nor more 
offended, with Pears than myself during the last thirty 
! years. Like other persons, I have had all the three 
kinds—good, middling, and worthless; and what is the 
most annoying is, that amongst the latter have been 
enrolled kinds which one part of the gardening world 
pronounced most excellent. In these matters I have 
heon noways singular; for we have all heard complaints 
from the four cardinal points of a similar character. 
One party urges that the stock is W'rong; another, that 
the soil will not grow Pears well; a third, that their 
climate is so very bad, that it is a bad locality; and, 
lastly, there are those who blame their fruit-room. 
That such things may he in part adverse, either one 
j or all, according to circumstances, may be correct; but 
if so, it would seem to show that the Pear-tree is yet 
very imperfectly understood, eveu by first-rate gardeners 
and nurserymen. Few men have had more experience 
■ in Pears than Mr. Rivers; and few have made more 
complaints of cracking, had setting, worthless flavour, &c. 
Such being the case, I must confess that I approach 
any consideration of the case with some diffidence. 
Progress, however, in an eminent degree, is the order of 
the day, and we may not remain precisely where we are ! 
and have been, but make some effort at advance; for 
even as “ little strokes fell great oaks,” so is knowledge 
increased. The agitation of a question, however it may 
give rise to wrong conceptions or fallacious arguments, 
has a constant tendency to hasten the desired end. 
As to Stocks ; there seems to he a desire on the part 
of some to dispute their influence over the scion. Now, 
why should we doubt this? How are we to account for 
two Pears of the same kind, growing side by side, and 
planted at the same time, and in the same kind of soil, 
differing so much in habit and fruiting ? Hundreds of 
such cases are to he found through the kingdom; aud 
they are, doubtless, familiar to every experienced gar- ; 
dener. I have here a Gloat Morceau, wliich has stood 
in its present situation for the last dozen years, and 
which has never carried a full crop; although another, 
planted under precisely similar conditions, has borne 
very considerable crops. The trees, moreover, look like 
two kinds in habit, and the quality of the fruit differ. I 
Thus, one is particularly robust in habit, and has made 
a stem of eight inches diameter at the hole; the other 
is delicate-looking, and the hole not more than five 
inches. The foliage of the two, moreover, constantly j 
differs in colour; the robust tree a dark green, the deli- , 
cate tree a pale yellowish-green; the latter, of course, a 
mere consequence of a debilitated habit. But what is 
singular enough, the Pears from the delicate tree are 
generally best flavoured, the skin finer, but the fruit not 
quite so large. It is, I conceive, perfectly useless to dis¬ 
cuss farther the influence of fruit-stocks on the scion. 
We can surely, at least, prove that one stock shall pro¬ 
duce a grosser tree than another; and pray let me ask, ; 
Does it make no difference in the fruit, in a given kind, 
that is much grosser in habit than another of the same 
kind, under similar conditions? 
I am still of opinion, that Pear-stocks would he best 
obtained by seedlings from some of our most hardy cul¬ 
tivated Pears; and the conditions I should ask would 
be these:—1st. The parent tree must be of a perfectly 
healthy kind; 2nd. It must he a great hearer; 3rd. It 
must have a clear and sound bark; and, 4th. It should 
be of a somewhat early kind. As instances of what I 
would suggest, let me point to Beurre cl'Amanlis, Beurre 
ile Capiaumont, Moorfowl's-egg, and Beurre Biel. Of 
course, I do not expect that the results would he pre- j 
cisely similar from each of these kinds. I feel assured . 
they would not. This shows what need there is for 
further experiments on this head, and that, let people 
proceed how speedily they will in this affair, we must 
be content to wait another half-dozeu years before the 
Pear question will he thoroughly understood. These j 
things ought to have been tested long since; but it 
must not be expected that gardeners can carry out such j 
tedious and watchful processes. If ever it is done, it 
must be by some public body, or by amateurs; and I 
fear the latter are are too uncertain in their movements. 
Such things should bo conducted on a well-devised and 
preconcerted plan. 
Now for a few words about Climate. In the first 1 
place, I would enquire, Is. it a matter of mere tempera¬ 
ture which concerns our present enquiry? or is it solar j 
light, or both? That these principles, bearing a due 
relation to each other, are all-important to our tender 
fruits, who will deny? But it is just possible that this 
balance, iu some parts of Britain, may not he quite the | 
thing for the Pear. If it can be proved, in any given 
case, that more heat is necessary, and that a higher : 
temperature iu the aggregate is requisite, why it brings 
one to the idea of Orchard-houses, glass walls, and other 
costly appliances. Costly, did I say? I beg pardon: i 
folks say that they do not affect the expenditure much, I 
