THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 7, 1858. 359 
just as we say at the Experimental. It is, however, 
the best only for beds over four feet across. The best 
Scarlet for a three-feet wide bed would suit me for the 
mixed line in front of the Ne plus ultra ribbon another 
season. I do not know" which is the very best scarlet 
dwarf Verbena. Geant des Id at allies is the best dark 
crimson at Kew, or in England. Mrs. Holford is 
the best wdiite Verbena there, and Purple King is the 
best dark purple, and Andre the best red purple 
Verbena. They prefer Countess of Ellesmere to Shrub- 
land Rose, and in that I differ from them, as far as 
Ellesmere is from Inverness. The Countess is not 
worth two raps at ten yards distance, in the way of 
effect. When you stand near her she is more rich 
than her rosy rival, but not so gay; but there can 
never be any rivalry between a good purple flower 
and a bright rose flower,—it is the white eye which 
causes the seeming rivalry. 
The best bedding Calceolaria with them is Aurea, 
floribunda, and amplexicaulis does better at I£ew than 
I ever saw it elsewhere. I learned that the Princess 
Mary of Cambridge must be added to the list of great 
ladies who understand and appreciate the right prin¬ 
ciples of flower gardening, which is the best bedding 
news of the season, and the best point for me to add 
D. Beaton - . But I have a whole host of “ best,” from 
Kew, for a rainy day. 
THE PEAE—ITS HABITS, CtTLTUBE, &c. 
Above all the fruits we cultivate, the Pear, perhaps, 
exceeds them in the various phases it assumes. 
Who would think that the Winter Nelis had 
sprung from the same origin as the Jargonelle ? or 
that there was any particular relationship between 
the Catillac and the Nelis ? But I suppose we may 
fairly refer them to one type, although we must 
rummage amongst the dust of ages to reach the 
fountain-head. This great variety, or disparity, in 
habit, of course, leads to various modes of cultivation ; 
and, through ignorance of such facts, or the want of a 
thorough recognition of them, mainly arises the com¬ 
plaints that continually exist as to their non-fertility, 
or inadaptability to given situations. 
In looking over the bulk of Pears, we find that, in 
any discussion concerning them, some classification 
becomes necessary. This classification must, of ne¬ 
cessity, refer to both degrees of hardihood and to 
comparative strength of growth. We have, therefore, 
the thoroughly hardy, the very tender, and the inter¬ 
mediate ; and as to growth, the weak, the gross, and 
the intermediate. This, of course, does not profess to 
particularise all the grades of character ; for, indeed, 
it would monopolise half-a-dozen Cottage Gardeners 
to do so ; and would require more practical knowledge 
than is in any one man’s hands. 
I may, however, suggest, that to plant any kind in a 
situation where the average of the seasons is not suffi¬ 
ciently genial is to incur both expense and disappoint¬ 
ment. In all cases, therefore, it behoves an amateur, to 
ascertain the precise amount of hardihood any given 
kind possesses. But this kind of knowledge is diffi¬ 
cult to reach—I had almost said impossible—at 
present. The nurseryman who sells them lias received 
such excellent accounts of them from foreign corre¬ 
spondents, in whom he thinks he can confide, that he 
feels justified in introducing them to public notice. 
And the public must have novelty, or freshness ; for, 
setting aside mere fashion, there can be no progress 
without patronising novelties. Had it been otherwise, 
we should not have possessed an Atlantic cable. 
And now let me turn to the more practical part of 
the question,—as to what might be done, This in¬ 
volves the consideration of climate or situation, soils, 
modes of training, &c. 
Climate we cannot command ; but we may at 
least determine the kinds most suitable to that 
climate. Situation we have more command over, in¬ 
asmuch as the choice of a high or low level lies fre¬ 
quently in the power of those who are making new 
gardens, or regulating matters in old ones. Thus, a 
garden may be on a declivity ; the upper portion may 
be loamy, the lower inclined to an unctuous, or even 
boggy character. Here we may fairly place our 
tender Pears at the upper end. Or it may be that a 
gentleman has purchased some land, and that of vary¬ 
ing character, intending to build a homestead. He 
has, perhaps, fixed on a site for his house; but, as to 
the garden, he is puzzled in the choice between two 
or three fields. The worst of it is, that the site of the 
house rules the whole, or, perhaps, ought to do. Then, 
the site of the house being fixed and determined on, 
the approach becomes the next consideration ; so that 
the poor, would-be garden has no sooner got rid of 
one tyrant than another springs up. 
I do not pretend to expect that the cultivation of 
Pears, Cabbages, &c., should entirely influence the 
determination of the proprietor; but I believe that a : 
good deal may be done by occasionall}' conceding half 
a point with a good grace. Thus, with regard to an 
approach road, so much does fancy, or taste, differ, 
that I will affirm, without fear of denial, that if half-a- 
dozen minds—landscape-gardeners or not—were to 
design this approach, no two would be exactly alike. 
This, then, plainly shows that, first principles ad¬ 
mitted, how much depends on the colouring of the 
mind that determines a case of the kind. 
Be this as it may, it is not good practice, in my 
opinion, to take tender Pears too far downhill. I 
believe that in the majority of seasons they will be 
found best on fair upland grounds ; not, however, 
perched on the top of a cold hill. 
Let us now speak of soil. There can be no doubt 
but that a good loamy soil is the best—one that is not 
too coherent in its particles. A very loose soil, how¬ 
ever is not well adapted to them ; the trees are apt to 
suffer much in dry periods, and to become a prey to 
their insect foes, and the fruit also to crack occa¬ 
sionally. 
We are told that in Belgium they thrive on a dark 
and silicious soil, and this is somewhat singular, the 
sun having so much power. In England, they are not 
known to succeed well in such soils, as far as I am 
aware. How this is reconcilable I cannot say; but 
the fact is, they may prove tolerably successful on any 
ordinary garden soil, where they do not produce too 
much spray. Our half-reclaimed boggy soils would 
assuredly not be eligible : they would produce a raw 
and immature growth, which would seldom or never ; 
ripen. 
In referring to the ailments of the Pear, I would 1 
preface my remarks by a few observations on over- 
luxuriant growths. These are the bane of the Pear, 
which has the power of rambling a long way in quest 
of food. There needs no manure to account for the 
extreme coarseness in habit of some Pears : the 
property alluded to is of itself sufficient to account for 
this wild habit. And this consideration naturally 
leads to the idea of root limitation,—a practice long 
since suggested in these pages, and from which, 
doubtless, originated the idea of potting fruit trees and 
the orchard-house. All this is now pretty well under¬ 
stood ; but one thing more I must point to, as con¬ 
nected with this part of the subject, viz., root pruning. 
I was about the first person to recommend this prac¬ 
tice, which I have here affirmed before, and which has 
never been disputed; but be that as it may, although 
