THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 8, 1857 
Swan’s Egg flavour; and, though good, cannot be re¬ 
garded as a desirable acquisition.' No. 11 is of the 
size and shape of fttoccas a variety raised by Mr. 
j Knight. Its flesh is quite tender, melting, juicy, and 
sweet; but it has no aroma. Though as good as many 
in cultivation, it was not considered a variety worth 
adding to those already grown. No. 23 is of a long 
tapering shape, completely covered with bright cinna- 
i mon-coloured russet, and having much the appealance 
i of Baronne de Mello ; but is much superior, even to that 
excellent variety, being very tender, and melting, ex- 
c eedingly juicy, very sugary, and with a rich aroma. 
This was highly commended by the Meeting. No. 26 is 
a melting variety; but the juice is watery, and without 
j aroma, aud the flesh is gritty. 
Mr. Matthews, nurseryman, of Clapham, brought a 
Seedling Pear, which he called Matthews’ Eliza. This 
is evidently of the race of Easter Beurre, and was raised 
by his father-in-law, the late Mr. H. Groom. The fruit 
| is very handsome, and will rank among the large Pears. 
Its shape is much of the appearance of White Doyenne 
| with the features of Easter Beurre about the stalk end, 
| though not towards the eye. The skin, when ripe, is of 
a pale citron, or straw yellow, with the faintest tinge of 
green. The flesh has an orange-yellow tint, is quite 
melting, juicy, and sugary, with a fine mixture of vinous 
acid, which gives it a refreshing and lively picquant 
flavour. This was considered well worth growing. The 
fruit was grown on a standard. 
Mr. McKelvie, of Stevenstone,near Torrington, Devon, 
sent a Seedling Pear, which had much the appearance 
of Burgermeistrc both in shape and colour; but the 
flesh was not only gritty, but very coarse-grained, quite 
| watery, and without flavour and aroma. 
Of Seedling Apples there were several, the first in 
importance being that sent by Mr. Laxton, of Stamford, 
which he called Stamford Pipptn. This is about the 
\ 
size, and a good deal of the shape, of Franklin’s Golden 
Pippin. The colour is a fine golden yellow; skin smooth 
and shining, with here and there tracings of very thin, 
pale, ashy-grey russet, particularly about the eye, with 
| a patch of the same round the stalk. The eye is small, 
j Flesh with an orange tinge, fine-grained, crisp, and juicy, 
with a fine and peculiar aroma. This was highly com- 
I mended. This is the second season this variety has 
been before the Society ; and it has been found, on both 
| occasions, to deserve the commendations of the Meetings. 
Dr. Davies, of Pershore, sent a Seedling Apple raised 
from the Blenheim Pippin; but it was too like its parent 
to be regarded as a distinct variety. 
Mr. Ingram, nurseryman, Huntingdon, sent a Dessert 
Apple which possessed very respectable properties, but 
not of a sufficiently high character to recommend it as 
a desideratum. 
Messrs. Veitch and Son, of Exeter, sent two Seedling 
Dessert Apples: one distinguished rsEggesford Seed¬ 
ling, No. 1, which is a handsome Apple, and sometimes 
assumes the appearance of Adams Pearmain. It has a 
good flavour, but was not considered to possess any 
novelty in its character. The same opinion was given 
of Eggesford Seedling, No. 2- 
Mr. Dickens, of Peters tow, near Ross, sent a Seedling 
Apple, which appeared to have all the properties of a 
good culinary variety. 
Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworth, brought several va¬ 
rieties of Pears; among which were some new, or little 
known, kinds. Delices de Lovenjoul, one of Van 
Mons’ Seedlings, is a medium size Pear, very melting, 
juicy, and sugary, with a rich aromatic flavour. This 
was very excellent. Alexandre Lambre, which ought 
to have been good, was quite the reverse, being astrin¬ 
gent, half-melting, and inferior in flavour. Princess 
Charlotte is evidently of the Passe Colmar race, and j 
resembles that variety in shape; the specimens before i 
the Meeting were firm aud crisp in the flesh, and with 
a sugary juice. Beurre Gris d’Hiver Nouveau is 
large, and resembling the old Brown Beurre in colour. 
The flesh is very tender and melting, with a fine, brisk, 
picquant juice, sugary, and with a peculiar and rich 
aroma. Though not a new Pear, this is one which is 
not much cultivated ; and it was suggested, that if its 
merits were better known, and its cultivation more 
extended, it would prove a good variety to grow for 
market purposes. Vicar of Winkfield was quite melt- j 
ing and sweet, with a pleasant aroma; these results 
being produced by the extreme heat of the past summer, 
otherwise it rarely acquires these properties. 
Mr. Hill, of Keele Hall, Staffordshire, sent a good j 
collection of Pears, most of which were beyond ma¬ 
turity ; but there were some in excellent condition, such 
as Forelle, which though small, was perfect in flavour. 
Passe Colmar most delicious; but the old Crasanne, 
from a wall, was not so good as the specimens grown on 
standards ; and Beurre Gris d’Hiver Nouveau was 
very inferior to the specimens of the same variety 
brought by Mr. Rivers. 
There was a large collection of Apples, which it was 
agreed should be remitted to an adjourned Meeting to 
be appointed for the purpose of examining them. 
It was proposed that some one conversant with fruits 
should be employed to prepare the reports of the Meet¬ 
ings, and have them expeditiously circulated among the 
members ; but there being no one qualified to undertake 
the work, Mr. Hogg, at the request of the Meeting, 
,agreed to do so ad interim. 
WINTER FLOWERS. 
§| I have, in former papers, adverted to the forcing of | 
some things for the winter and spring decoration of j 
the plant house or drawing-room ; and I will proceed 1 
to point out some other little matters which, as ac¬ 
cessories, are of some importance. 
Salvias. —These are very important adjuncts of the 
plant-house in winter; indeed, I should say, indispen¬ 
sable. The best kinds for winter work that I have ! 
met with, are S. splendens, and S. Gesncrcejiora; the j 
S.fulgens may also be added. For winter blossoming 
these are valuable, and their culture very simple. They 
should be propagated annually by cuttings in March, 
got speedily into small pots, and receive high culture 
in the greenhouse or a frame. In order to render them 
bushy, they must be frequently pinched; and, indeed, 
this pinching may be continued up to the end of July, 
■when they may be allowed to form heads for blossom¬ 
ing. They may be flowered in seven-inch pots in per¬ 
fection ; although it is very convenient, for some pur¬ 
poses, to have a lot in five-inch pots also. B} 7- the 
middle of June they should be placed out of doors in 
cinder ashes in a very sunny situation, as they abhor 
shade; and all they require during the summer is re¬ 
gular watering. In the end of September, they shoidd 
be placed in a cold frame for fear of frost, or, if room, 
on the front shelf of a greenhouse. No pinching may 
be allowed after this. A few remarks concerning soil 
are necessary. Most of the Salvia family run too much 
