THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 21, 1858. 
181 
and decayed ; while the former, stated to have been ripe 
three months, was plump, fresh, exceedingly sweet, and 
in good condition. The object of the shrivelled bunch 
was to show the comparative keeping properties of the 
seedling, which, up to the present time, appeared satis¬ 
factory ; but, to regard it as an acquisition amongst the 
varieties in cultivation, it was deemed necessary by the 
Meeting that it should be exhibited much later, and, in 
comparison with Oldalcer's West St. Peter’s, which it ap¬ 
peared closely to resemble in form of bunch, berry, skin, 
&c. 
Mr. Weaver, of the College, Winchester, sent two 
large dishes of Black Hamburgh, from the open wall, 
to show the effect of ringing the branches,— one dish 
being from a ringed and the other from a naturally- 
grown branch of the same tree. The former were much 
larger in berry than the latter, though not quite so well 
coloured; both were, however, exceedingly fine and good 
for out-of-door Grapes. They were described as having 
been grown on Iloare's principle. 
A. Scruton, Esq., brought a basket of Black Ham¬ 
burgh Grapes, from the open wall, and, but for the un¬ 
questionable testimony regarding them, they would have 
been mistaken for hothouse Grapes, so excellent were 
they in size, colour, bloom, and flavour. They were pro¬ 
nounced the finest specimens of open-air Grapes that had 
ever come before the Society. These were also reported 
to have been grown on Hoare’s principle; the funda¬ 
mental part of which is identical with that upon which 
the Raspberry is cultivated—namely, inducing the plant 
each year to produce new branches from the base: these 
bear a crop in the second year, proportioned to the 
strength of the main tree, and are afterwards cut away. 
(This is a general rule, which may be applied to all trees 
and shrubs,—Boses, for instance,—whose energy in blos¬ 
soming depends on the strength of their previous year’s 
wood.) 
FRUIT EXHIBITED AT THIS MEETING FOR 
ADVERTISED PREMIUMS. 
Class A.—Cox’s Orange Pippin Apple. —Under this 
head, three dishes were exhibited — By Mr. Groom, 
Slough, Buckinghamshire ;—Mr. Spivey, gardener to J. 
A. Houblon, Esq., Hallingbury Place, Essex;—and Mr. 
Beaumont, of the Post-office, Shrivenham, Berkshire. 
The two latter, however, were totally different from the 
variety they were sent for; and nothing can better ex¬ 
emplify the necessity in this country of an efficient 
authority on such matters in the form of a Pomological 
Society than the fact, that such confusion exists regard¬ 
ing a kind which has scarcely been known, or propa¬ 
gated, till within the last few years. Those sent by Mr. 
Groom— to which the prize teas awarded — were very 
handsome, and in fine condition. This fruit is oblate, 
slightly tapering, generally very even in form; eye 
small, close, and moderately sunken ; stalk of medium 
length and thickness, inserted in a very deep, russety 
cavity ; colour pale yellow, very much fluked and spotted 
with bright carmine, and tinged with russet over three- 
fourths of its surface ; greatest diameter of a fair average 
fruit, transversely 2} inches, vertically 2} inches, and 
from the eye to the insertion of stalk If inch; core 
medium sized ; skin very thin; flesh very tender and 
juicy ; aroma powerful and pleasant; flavour very sugary, 
slightly sub-acid, with an exceedingly pleasant after-taste, 
much resembling that of Ribston Pippin, —than which 
greater praise can scarcely be given. It was the opinion 
of the Meeting, that this variety is worthy of being highly 
recommended to the notice of the public ; and that, if it 
proves to be hardy, a free bearer, and not subject to 
canker (all which it was testified to be, as far as their 
experience went, by members present), it will undoubtedly 
take a place amongst the most favourite varieties in culti- I 
vation. But, although pronounced superior in texture to l 
the Ribston, it was not considered superior in flavour, I 
and ought not to be sent forth to the world with more 
than a just opinion of its merits. Overdrawn repre¬ 
sentations of the value of any new fruit only lead to dis¬ 
appointment and dissatisfaction. These latter remarks 
were intended to refer to the opinion given of this kind 
by the Judges at the Horticultural Society's fruit show 
last autumn, when it was pronounced super ior in flavour 
to the Ribston Pippin. As the general public naturally 
expect that dependance may be placed on the authori¬ 
tative opinion expressed by Scientific Societies, their 
officers and deputed Judges should be exceedingly careful 
in weighing expressions they use, that the confiding 
public? may not be misled thereby : hence, it is better for 
a Society of the kind to qualify commendation, if the in¬ 
formation before them is insufficient, as they can always 
give additional, or higher, testimony, of the merits of a 
subject; while they can never reduce an opinion once 
sent forth. This digression affords a good opportunity 
of exemplifying the soundness of the system acted up to 
by the British Pomological Society : everything im¬ 
portant is freely examined and fully discussed in open 
court, an equal part being taken in the proceedings by 
every member present; and, as the attendance of the 
Meetings always comprises twenty or thirty of those who 
have given a large share of their thought and attention 
to pomology,—including representatives of every class of 
consumer, dealer, and producer,—the opportunities for 
impartiality, or mistake, are reduced to the minimum. 
Class B.— Beuree Bose Pear. —The exhibitions in this 
class were very large, but not of first quality, the fruit 
generally being juicy and sugary, but not melting. The 
first prize of £1 was awarded to Mr. Stewart (gardener 
to H. E. Tompson, Esq., Witchingham Hall, Norfolk), 
whose fruit was not the largest, but the most melting. 
The second prize of 10s. was awarded to Mr. Wightom 
(gardener to Lord Stafford, Cossey Hall, Norfolk), whose 
fruit was very large, rich, and sugary. 
Class C. —■ General Dessert Pears in Season. —• 
Under this head were twenty-nine dishes, in seventeen 
varieties, exhibited by eleven growers. 
Beurre Diel was exhibited (very unripe) by Mr. 
Divers (of Warton House, Staplehurst, Kent), from 
espalier Pear stocks, on fight, rich garden mould, over 
strong subsoil.— By Mr. Sihbkin (gardener to W. 
Donald, Esq., Acton, Middlesex), from standard Pear 
stock, on fight loam, over gravel.—By Mr. Peter Grieve 
(gardener to Rev. E. R. Benyon, Culford, near Bury St. 
Edmunds), without name, from standard Pear stock, on 
fight, thin soil, over dry, sandy gravel.—Also, by Mr. 
Newton (gardener to G. J. Graham, Esq., Enfield 
Chase, Middlesex), under the name of Passe Colmar, 
from standard Pear stock, from rich loam, over yellow 
clay, having gravelly springs running through it, drained 
four feet deep. The fruit was described as subject to be 
spotted. It was small for the kind, nearly ripe, very 
juicy, and a week or ten days later would have been 
melting and delicious, being sugary and aromatic. — In 
a mixed state as regards ripeness, by Mr. Wighton, 
being partly from espalier and partly from west wall, re¬ 
grafted on old, inferior varieties of Pears. Soil fight, 
artificially enriched, over brown sand and gravel. Stated 
to be subject to mildew on espalier. The fruit from the 
wall was juicy, half melting, but not high flavoured.— 
Perfectly ripe, by Mr. Stewart, from west wall; Pear 
stock ; soil sandy loam, over sandy gravel; very large, 
juicy, melting, aromatic, and high flavoured. Altogether, 
the best dish of the variety exhibited on this occasion. 
Soldat Esferen (No. 29) was sent by Mr. Mould 
(gardener to P. Rose, Esq., Rayner’s Farm, High Wy¬ 
combe, Bucks), from a dwarf standard, on Pear stock ; 
soil strong, tenacious, flinty loam, over impervious, plastic 
clay ; substratum chalk. This is a very delicious Pear, 
and evidently suited to retentive, calcareous soils. The 
fruit was large, very juicy, and melting, with a rich, 
sugary, noyeau flavour; after taste exceedingly grateful 
