November 14. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
113 
n 
M 
D 
W 
NOVEMBER 14—20, 1854. 
Weather near London in 
Barometer. Thermo. Wind. 
1853. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
14 
To 
20.740—29.672 
45—30 
N.W. 
18 a 7 
15 
w 
Beech leafless. 
29.635—29 631 
40—36 
S. 
11 
20 
9 
16 
Th 
Teal arrives. 
29.695—29.644 
46—25 
w. 
22 
8 
17 
F 
Titmice near houses. 
29.801—29735 
16-18 
N. 
24 
7 
18 
S 
Widgeon arrives. 
•29.995—29.956 
41—21 
s.w. 
_ 
25 
5 
19 
Son 
23 Sunday after Trinity. 
30.054—29.969 
49-25 
s. 
— 
27 
4 
20 
M 
Sun’s declination, 19° 42' s. 
30.086—29.837 
46-23 
s. 
06 
29 
3 
Moon 
R. & S. 
| 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
morn. 
34 
15 
25 
318 
0 54 
25 
15 
15 
319 
2 6 
26 
15 
5 
320 
3 21 
27 
14 
53 
321 
4 41 
28 
14 
41 
322 
6 3 
29 
14 
27 
323 
sets. 
© 
14 
13 
324 
Meteorology of the Week. -At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-seven years, the averagehighestandlowesttem- 
peratures o f these days are 49.1 , and 35.5 , respectively. The greatest heat, 62 °, occurred on the l6th, in 1840 ; and the lowest cold, is° on 
the loth, in .841. During the period 95 days were fine, and on 94 rain fell. 
The First Extraordinary Meeting of the British 
Fomological Society was held at the Rooms, 20, Bed¬ 
ford Street, Covent Garden, London, on Monday, the 
Gth inst. The objects of this meeting were to collect 
from all parts of the country specimens of the Fruits 
which are now in season; to correct tlieir nomenclature; 
to compare their relative merits and qualities; to ascer¬ 
tain wherein and to what extent they are adapted to 
the soils and exposures in which they are grown; and 
to examine and report upon the merits of new and 
seedling varieties. The Society, although but recently 
established, and, necessarily, having a very short period 
allowed to make known its intentions, had the satisfac¬ 
tion of seeing, at this meeting, a ready and hearty 
response to its application to the numerous fruit-growers 
throughout the three kingdoms, which clearly showed 
the great interest that is felt by both public and private 
cultivators in the important subject of Pomology. It 
was gratifying to all present to see the most sanguine 
expectations of the most sanguine members far sur¬ 
passed, by a gathering of upwards of twelve hundred 
specimens of the Fruits of Great Britain, produced 
under every variety of circumstance of soil, situation, 
aspect, and mode of culture. Who now shall say, 
“There is no need for such a Society?” We have 
over and over again said that such a Society was 
needed; that overy civilised country in the world 
had, and encouraged, such Societies; and that it was a 
disgrace to Great Britain, first as she always is in 
Science, Literature, and Art, that a subject so important 
and so capable of development should be so neglected. 
The results of this Meeting show that our complaint 
was not ill-founded, and that there are many more who 
are groping and thirsting after information on this 
subject than casual and careless observers imagine, and 
that the subject is not the hobby of a few, but the 
interest of the many. The results arrived at at this 
Meeting are neither few nor unimportant. We have 
seen and ascertained in what soils and climates the 
same varieties either do not succeed, or in what degree 
of excellence they can be produced. We have found, 
also, how, in some of the coldest and most exposed 
situations, certain other varieties can be grown with the 
greatest success, while, in the same situations, other 
varieties cannot be grown at all. 
Among the subjects exhibited, we observed some 
mugnificent specimens of Pears and Apples, from walls 
and standards, from Mr. McEweiq of Arundel Castle 
Gardens.. Both as regards size, flavour, and colour, these 
were perfection itself. Another collection, equally fino, 
was sent by John Elliot, Esq., of Trisilliau, Kings- 
bridge, Devon ; the size, colour, and flavour of which 
were also perfect. Mr. Cox, gardener to W. Wells, 
Esq., of Redleaf, Kent, sent very fine examples of the 
new Pear. Beurre Clairgeau, and also of Beurre Nantais. 
The former is the new variety so much lauded at the 
present time by tho Belgian nurserymen, as the finest 
Pear in cultivation; but it was found, on being tested, 
that it would hardly rank above the standard of a 
second rate variety, an opinion which was fully con¬ 
firmed by another specimen, sent in the collection of 
M. Langeliere, of Jersey. 
Mr. Rivers exhibited a collection of Pears of equal 
merit to the above, as regarded size and colouring, 
from the garden of a gentleman at Limerick. These 
were grown in a “ hedge-house,” or as it is, perhaps, 
better known by the name of “ an orchard-house.” 
In this respect they were interesting, as furnishing 
examples of those varieties which could be cultivated 
successfully under such circumstances, and such as 
could not. We tasted the Doyenne Mane, which, 
though very beautiful, both in shape and colour, was 
flat and doughy, and sadly deficient in flavour. The 
Louise Bonne of Jersey, on the contrary, though of good 
size, was deficient in colour, but very tender, juicy, and 
melting, and with a particularly delicate and beautiful 
flavour, though wanting that picquancy which charac¬ 
terized specimens of the same variety, grown by Mr. 
Rivers himself on pyramids, grafted on the Quince- 
stock. We are not at liberty to enter fully upon the 
distinguishing characteristics of the different varieties, 
and their comparative merits, as the Society reserves to 
itself the right of publishing the observations made, and 
the results arrived at, from these Meetings, in Transac¬ 
tions of its own, which will appear in duo course; an 
arrangement in which we perfectly concur, as we believe 
that any such Society which allows the facts it has 
brought to light, or its proceedings, to he filched or 
frittered away by tjiose whose interest it may be to take 
possession, and make a property of them, is parting 
with that which is its life and soul, and capital. We, 
therefore, look forward with interest to the publication 
of the proceedings at this Meeting as they will be given 
through the authorised medium of tho Society. 
Mr. Roue Langeliere, of St. Helier’s, Jersey, sent a 
very valuable collection of 152 varieties of Pears, which 
No. CCCXX , Vol. xiii. 
