316 
THE COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 
January 37. 
Lave long footstalks. I remember not how they be 
named in England. Volema, whereof Virgil makes 
mention in the second book of his Georgicks. These, 
because they are very heavy, as Virgil sheweth, and very 
gi-eat, as their name betokeneth, for they seem to have 
their name of vola, that is, the hollow place or loof of a 
man’s hand, because they be as big as a man can grip 
in the palm or loof of his hand. These are commonly 
called in English, Wardens, if they have a binding and 
be red when they are roasted, and indure unto March 
or February. It appeareth that they have their name 
of long keeping; for Warden, in Dutch, from whence 
our English came, is to keep. Serotina pyra are they 
that hang upon their motber until winter, and were ripe 
with the frost. These are partly our Wardens, and 
partly other long-during Pears, which are called in 
Dutch, Winter Biren; and they may be well called in 
English, Winter Pears.” 
Next in order of time came Gerarde, who says—“The 
stock, or kindred of Pears are not to be numbered; 
every country hath its peculiar fruit. Myself knows 
one curious in graffing and planting of fruits, who hath 
in one piece of ground at the point of three-score sundry 
sorts of Pears, and those exceeding good, not doubting 
but if his mind had been to seek after multitudes he 
might have gotten together the like number of those of 
worse kinds.” Johnson has altered Gerarde’s arrange¬ 
ment of the Pears he specified, and they give the 
following as the ancient titles, and our Pears which are 
synonymous. Whether correct or not in that respect, 
they certainly shew eight varieties then known in our 
gardens, and some of which are still surviving. 1, Pyrus 
snperhn, Katherine Pear; 2, Pyrus prcecocia. Jenneting 
Pear; 3, Pyrus Jacohaa, St. James’s Pear; -1, Pyrus 
regale, Pear Eoyal; 5, Pyrus Palatinum, Bergamot Pear; 
6, Pijrus Cydonia, Quince Pear; 7, Pyrus episcopata. 
Bishop’s Pear; 8 , Pyrus hyemale, Winter Pear. “All 
these,” says Gerarde, “ and many more, and those most 
rare and good, are growing in the grounds of Master 
Richard Pointer, a most cunning and curious grafter and 
planter of all manner of rare fruits, dwelling in a small 
village near London, called Twicknam; and also in the 
ground of an excellent graffer, and painful planter, Mr. 
Henry Banbury, of Touthill Street, near Westminster; 
and likewise in the ground of a diligent and most affec¬ 
tionate lover of plants, Mr. Warner, near Horsey-down, 
by T.ondou.” It would not avail much now to seek for 
Pear Trees, either in Tothill-street or Horsleydown! 
COVENT GARDEN. 
Some weeks ago, and for several consecutive weeks, 
we devoted our attention to the consideration of the 
more extended cultivation of the best varieties of Plemish 
Pears, and urged on our readers the importance of this 
new branch of rural economy. The more we think of 
the subject, the more we are impressed with the idea that 
I it is one which must, ere long, engage the attention of 
1 occupiers of land in a way which it has never done 
I before. We have already mentioned fully the varieties 
which are best adapted for planting as standards; but, i 
as stated last week, there is another aspect in which wo I 
must look upon this class of fruits, and that is with i 
regard to their supplanting Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Apricots, in soils where these do not attain perfection' 
or where a crop is so uncertain as to be always incurring 
suspense or disappointment. We stated in our last that 
we knew several instances which have lately come under j 
our notice where these more tender fruits were rarely . 
ever brought to perfection; and it appeared to us that I 
the only object for occupying valuable wall-room with | 
them could be no other than simply to have it said that 
such trees grew there. And in one of those very 
gardens, even so early as Christmas, there was not such 
a thing as a Pear to be had. A fruit-room there cer 
tainly was, but its shelves were occupied with a few 
miserable-looking apples, such as a costermonger would 
hardly e.xhibit on his truck. There are two causes 
which conduce to disappointment in the cultivation of 
the fruits of which we have spoken, and these are, soil 
and climate. It frequently happens that, even where 
there is a congenial climate, the soil is cold and heavy; 
and again, on the other hand, when the soil is all that 
j could be desired, the climate may be cold, the summers 
short, or the situation exposed. Now, in all such cases, 
unless considerable expense is incurred. Peaches, Necta¬ 
rines, and Apricots cannot be cultivated to advantage; 
' and it is the space which these would otherwise have 
occupied that we wish to have appropriated to the more 
choice and valuable varieties of Flemish Pears, and 
particularly to those which come into maturity nt a 
season when there is no other fruit to be had. We 
should imagine there are few who would not prefer a 
declicious melting Passe Colmar, or Nells d’ Hirer, at 
Christmas, to a poor, insipid, worthless Peach in Septem¬ 
ber, and that, too, at a season when so much good fruit 
can be had without any trouble. All, therefore, who 
are labouring under such disadvantages as we have 
stated, we would counsel to abandon their present 
course, and occupy their walls with such varieties of 
pears as we shall now recommend. 
In making out these lists we shall not include any of 
the early varieties. These can always be had in abun¬ 
dance during the early autumn; and as it is the late 
sorts to which the greatest value is attached, we would 
advise that they only should have occupancy of the wall. 
For a North Aspect. —It rarely happens that Pears 
are ever placed in this situation. In all well-regulated 
gardens such an aspect is always employed with Morello 
Cherries, Currants, &c.; but, lest it should happen that 
there are cases where neither of these do succeed, a trial 
may be given to Marie Louise, Ha,cons Licomparahle, 
and Thompson’s. 
For a South Aspect. —We have here an opportunity, 
on a south aspect, where the soil and climate are good, 
of enjoying these most delicious of the old French 
Pears, as the Brown Beurre, ripe in October; Grassane, 
ripe during November and December; and the Colmar, 
or Poire d' Audi, in use from November to Febniary. 
For these the soil must be light and warm; in northern 
