211 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 12, 1859. 
FRUITS and FRUIT TREES of GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 181.) 
No. XXIII. —Betteee Beiotonneau Peae. 
Synonyme. — Dr. Bretonneau. 
This pear is one of those very late varieties which sometimes 
ripen and sometimes do not. In very warm seasons, and after 
hanging on the trees till very late in the autumn, they do assume 
a melting character about May, but it is very rarely that it can 
be depended upon as a dessert pear at that late period. In 
large collections it may be grown ; but where space is limited it 
had better be dispensed with. 
Fruit rather large, varying from obovate to long pyriform, and 
becoming sometimes four inches long by three and a quarter 
broad. 
Skin somewhat rough; bright green at first, but changing as 
it ripens to yellow, and with dull brownish-red next the sun. It 
is considerably marked with dots and patches of brown russet. 
Fye generally closed, but sometimes open, placed in a mode¬ 
rately deep and regular basin. 
Stalk very thick, sometimes woody, inserted obliquely on the 
surface of the fruit. 
Flesh yellowish-white, half-melting, sweet, and perfumed. 
This varietv is a seedling raised by Major Esperen, of Malines. 
The tree fruited in 1846, and was named in honour of Dr. Bre¬ 
tonneau, of Tours. 
THE POTATO CROP. 
We much regret to learn from many quarters that the Potato 
murrain has made its appearance ; but at present, as far as we 
know, only in the wet climate of Cornwall, in low-lying situations, 
or in highly-manured soils. 
The following are extracts from some of the communications 
we have received:— 
“ Is there any remedy for the Potato blight ? or can any 
remedial treatment be adopted when it has once made its ap¬ 
pearance ? I afn induced to ask these questions in consequence 
of the very early appearance of this terrible disease in most of 
the gardens in this neighbourhood (near Dover), and the great 
importance of this crop to the cottager." — Sibeet-on-the- 
WOID. 
“Wheat (in south Essex) is unusually good, and very early. 
Barley fine. Peas excellent. Beans not a full crop. Potatoes 
are doomed, as usual, acquiring the disease, more especially on 
ground highly manured. Our opinion is, that if they were not 
manured at all, it would go far to abate the malady, if not to 
restore them to perfect health. We have not manured ours this 
year, and at present they show no signs of the murrain ; whilst 
many other crops, highly cultivated by stimulants, are already 
rotten : and where this is the case it is well to remove the haulm 
immediately, and leave them (the tubers) in the ground for the 
present.”— A. Hakdy AND Son, Maldon, Essex. 
“ The Potato disease, I am sorry to hear, has made its appear¬ 
ance in several gardens in this neighbourhood (Watton, Norfolk), 
though the effects, at present, are not very visible. But, to use 
a Norfolk phrase, which might with propriety be adopted into 
the general language of the country, ‘ the time is yet. new.’ ”— 
E. S. 
“ Never was the Potato disease worse in this neighbourhood 
(Penzance). Even the Flukes are in course of corruption. Ask 
your readers how Holcus Sacekaralus flourishes with them. 
Mine seems an utter failure. It has been in the ground six 
weeks, and it is not nearly so high as Mangold Wurtzel sown 
the same day.”—W. W. W. 
[We quite agree with Messrs. Hardy and Son, in deprecating 
the employment of manure either at the time of planting Po¬ 
tatoes, or during their growth. We knew a crop last year 
entirely free from disease except at one corner where liquid 
manure was frequently spilled. There nearly all the tubers were 
diseased. This year on the high grounds about Winchester 
there is no appearance of the Potato murrain at present; but we 
have heard of its affecting slightly some crops on the banks of 
the Itchin close to that city. . 
In reply to “ Sibebt-on-the-Wold,” no “remedial treatment” 
is known. If the disease appears to increase we would take up 
the crop at once, and sell the produce for use as early Potatoes. 
If they are of moderately large size, we would store them in a dry 
shed in layers alternately with dry sand. They will improve and 
keep there for several months. 
The present dry and hot weather will check the progress of 
this murrain. 
We shall be obliged by the results obtained by those who 
have grown Holcus Saccharatus, or Chinese Sugar Cane, in this 
country.— Eds.] 
HARROW HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
It is rarely we are so much pleased as we were on Tuesday last, 
when we were present at a Meeting of the Harrow Horticultural 
Society. The Society is entirely local in its operations, and the 
productions that are exhibited at the Shows are the result of 
earnest and good-natured rivalry between the amateurs and 
cottagers of the neighbourhood. None of the great nurserymen 
are allowed either to exhibit or compete ; and there is, therefore, 
no opportunity for the productions of those who have great ad¬ 
vantages and extensive appliances extinguishing the efforts of 
their less pretentious, but not less enthusiastic brethren in horti¬ 
culture. The Show was held in the National School Rooms, which 
were most tastefully decorated with festoons and devices of ever¬ 
greens and flowers. The rooms were literally filled with exhibi¬ 
tions ; and all classes, both of amateurs, cottagers, and cottagers’ 
children, contributed to make one of the prettiest local shows we 
have ever seen, while the subjects exhibited reflected great credit 
on those who produced them. The most pleasing part of the 
Show was the exhibitions of the little children, which consisted of 
wild-flower bouquets, and specimens of Forest trees,—the latter 
all named. In this class there were some twelve or fourteen 
competitors, all of whom seemed to have gathered their rustic 
bouquets from the same meadow, and their trees from the same 
wood. Here was a puzzle for the Judges! What were they to 
do ? What would any one who reads this have done ? Why, 
give them all a prize, to be sure; and so the Judges did : and we 
think there were not two happier men in England, than those 
two Judges that day. 
We have departed from our usual course in this instance in 
noticing the shows of local Societies; and we do so merely to 
