199 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 29, 1857. 
j 
1 cultivation of Pears, from the old Green Chisel to the most 
approved new kinds; but can hardly agree with some writers 
who state, that all early, and most autumn Pears, should be 
gathered a week or two before they are ripe. Much, of course, 
: depends on the difference in situation, or on the weather. In 
hot summers, like the last, gathering Pears a few days before 
they ripen is, perhaps, the only means to prevent early ones 
from being mealy and worthless. But, on the other hand, if 
that be done in a cold season, especially in some situations, 
the fruit will be apt to shrivel, and not come to proper ma¬ 
turity. This agrees with the fact, that early Pears are more 
likely to be mealy in the south of England than in the north: 
and less so in Scotland. Indeed, the same may be said of 
Pears growing in different situations in the same garden. In 
very hot summers, Pears on walls in south aspects, though 
large and fine, are often inferior in quality to smaller ones of 
| the same kinds from dwarf standards. 
Last season we gathered off a south wall some very fine 
fruit of the Merveille d'Ete (or Marvel of Summer), and Wil¬ 
liams's Bon Chretien Pears a few days before they were ripe, 
which were excellent; while the rest of the crop, which hung 
the full time, was worthless. But both kinds were good when 
gathered off dwarf standards at the usual time. As these 
two sorts are very apt to be mealy in hot seasons, they may 
serve [as a guide for all such ; and likewise show that much 
depends on the weather and situation, as already observed. 
There are other sorts of autumn Pears that may hang the 
full time. Last season we had excellent GanseVs Bergamots , 
which dropped from the tree like Peaches ; and we gathered 
none of the latter kinds until the stems of the fruit parted 
freely at the proper joints from the trees. We may mention, 
however, that some Suzette de Bavay , which were gathered 
by mistake at the end of October, were far inferior to the rest 
of the crop left on the tree till the end of November, even 
after the leaves were gone. 
We trust enough has been said to show that the same rule 
for gathering Pears in a climate like Devon will not suit that 
of Ross-shire. This reminds us of the story of a gentleman, 
when on a visit to a friend in the Highlands, who happened 
to observe to the gardener that the climate could not be so 
bad, for he saw some good-looking fruit on a wall tree. The 
gardener said, “Hoot, mon, weel it may; for it has hung there 
twa seasons, and is hardly ripe yet.” We hope this will give 
no offence to our northern friends; for we are aware that, in 
favourable seasons, good fruit is grown in the north of Scot¬ 
land.— J. Wighton. 
THE AMERICAN SQUASH. 
of it in his garden ; and I think there were then nine or eleven 
lights of Melons in all stages, and the plants were hi luxuriant 
health. He manages all his frames and vineries himself. I shall 
never forget liis remark about sulphuring Grapes for the Vine 
disease. It you cannot blow it oft from among the berries, 
what is more wholesome to swallow than a little sulphur?” 
His Green-fleshed Melons have been noted about Ipswich 
for many years as very superior; but this superiority" arises 
from his superior management of his plants. He uses no 
dung in his compost for Melons ; he keeps air on the frames 
day and night from the middle of May; and the whole routine 
is more after nature than our common forcing.—D. Beaton.] 
VARIEGATED TOM THUMB GERANIUMS. 
In No. 478 of The Cottage Gardener, Mr. Eish, in 
speaking of scarlet Geranium Tom Thwnb, says, he believes 
it is nothing else than a variegated Tom Thumb. In that he 
is perfectly correct. With your permission, it may not be 
altogether out of place to inform your numerous readers 
where and how it originated. 
In the season of 1850, I was gardener at Foremark Hall, 
then the seat of Henry Allsopp, Esq. I had a few plants of 
Tom Thumb in a mixed border. A couple of shoots on one 
of the plants sported; I had them propagated, and the fol¬ 
lowing season had several plants of the variety. They were 
again planted out; and one day, in the course of the season, 
two or three young men from a neighbouring place called to 
have a look round, and by some means managed to take some 
cuttings from those plants. They were, of course, carried 
home to a nobleman’s place not many miles distant; and, 
through the medium of the then gardener, the variety got into 
the hands of Messrs. Osborne, of Fulham.— James Lessees, 
gardener to Sir T. F. F. Boughey } Bart., Aqualate Hall, 
Newport, Salop. 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Lhpintjs Menziesii (Mr. Menzie's Lupin). 
A shrubby, Californian Lupin, with yellow flowers. Sent 
to Few Gardens by Mr. Thompson, of Ipswich .—(Botanical 
Magazine, t. 5019.) 
Eichornia tricolor (Three-coloured Fichornid). 
It has also been called Bontederia tricolor. A Brazilian 
aquatic plant. It* flowers are purple, blue, and white.— 
(Ibid. t. 5020.) 
Dr. Beck, of Ipswich, informs us that “ the American 
Squash is certainly the best flavoured, and the most valuable of 
all the Vegetable Marrow tribe. Dr. Beck keeps them for use 
all winter; cutting them for that purpose when about four 
or five pounds in weight. Dr. Beck has long discontinued 
growing the Artichaut d'Fspagne, or Pincussion Marrow; the 
flavour being inferior to that of the American Squash, in his 
opinion; and the necessity of getting seeds from Paris, as it 
does not ripen here, was another objection. It is, however, 
j very pretty-looking on table.” 
[Here is the name by which this very superior Vegetable 
Marrow is known in the South of France. The Horticultural 
Society had it last summer; but I have not heard that they 
succeeded in tracing out its book-name. Some gardener, 
however, ripened seeds of it in England ; but Dr. Beck says, it 
does not ripen seeds in this country; therefore, the kind 
which is in the hands of the Society may not be exactly the 
one I spoke of as being the best of all Vegetable Marrows. The 
varieties run as closely on each other as Radishes or Onions; so 
that one would need to taste, to make sure of a doubtful kind. 
I have said before now that Dr. Beck was the best amateur 
grower of Melons I ever knew; and I never knew a gardener 
who could approach him in his Melon frames, in which one 
could seldom pick up a bad leaf in a whole season ; and he 
ought to be one of our best judges on the Gourd tribe, as he 
has been growing them and comparing them for the last 
twenty or thirty years. I called on him the last time in Sep- 
( tember, 1853; and he told me then the American Squash was 
I the best of the “ Marrows,” according to his taste. I saw lots 
Begonia laciniata (Cut-leaved Begonia). 
A native of Silhet, Nepal, and Eastern Bengal. Flowers 
large, white, tinged with pink. The leaves beautifully varie¬ 
gated, with purple round the edge, and in the centre of the 
upper surface ; the edge and veins on the under surface deep 
pink.— (Ibid. t. 5021). 
Illairea canarinoihes (Canarina-like Illairea). 
Native of Central America, and introduced thence to Europe 
by M. Warszewicz. It is a hardy annual; “but is a very 
dangerous neighbour, one of the men in Kew Gardens having 
suffered severely, and for some weeks, from being accidentally 
stung by it.” Flowers dull brick-colour, appearing in July 
and August. It belongs to the natural order Loasese.— (Ibid. , 
t. 5022.) 
Rubus nutans (Shaggy-stemmed Raspberry). 
This decumbent species is a native of the Himalaya Moun¬ 
tains, at elevations of from 8,000 to 11,000 feet." It came 
from Mr. Low, of the Clapton Nursery; but when, or by 
whom, introduced is not known.— (Ibid. t. 5023). 
Cytritedium Fairieanum (Mr. Fairies' Lady's Slipper). 
Native of Assam. It is a most charming plant. Its beau¬ 
tifully-pencilled flowers appear in October, a flowering speci¬ 
men being then sent to Few by Mr. Parker, of the Hornsey 
Nursery.— (Ibid. t. 5024.) 
