172 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOCHST. 
[ November, 
upper end of the fronds is twice or thrice 
forked, the extreme tips being again divided. 
The veins in the rotundate pinnae are flahellately 
forked, each terminating within the margin in 
a thickened apex; those of the occasional 
accidental elongated pinnae being pinnately 
branched. 
The fascicles or tufts in which the plant 
grows consist of numerous fronds, which are 
gracefully arching, forming a very elegant mass, 
and from the base of these fascicles are pro¬ 
duced the elongated thread-like stolons charac¬ 
teristic of this genus. Indeed, from its barren 
condition, these and other peculiarities of habit 
are the only indications of the genus to which 
it is referred. It has, so far as we can learn, 
no tubers, and hence is possibly not, as we 
were inclined to suppose, an abnormal form of 
N. tuberosa. In aspect it is quite analogous 
to the narrow-fronded and sometimes multifid 
Athyrium Filix-fcemina Frizellice. We have 
to thank the Messrs. Yeitch and Sons for the 
specimens from which these descriptive notes 
have been drawn up. —T. Moore. 
THE FRUIT SEASON OF 1878. 
HE spring was most ungenial. I knew 
by the absence of bees, that the weather 
which was ungenial to them would be 
unfavourable to the blossoms of fruit. As 
regards fruits in general, I may observe I 
have had admirable crops of Plums, Currants 
of all kinds, Strawberries, Raspberries, and 
Gooseberries. The two last were the finest 
crops I ever had. The raspberries are Fastolf \ 
Red Antwerp , and Fillbaslcet. The goose¬ 
berries (the late Mr. Rivers’ selection) are 
Walnut Green, Whitesmith , and Red Warring¬ 
ton. They are all admirable, and ripen as 
placed. Walnut Green is, I think, the best- 
flavoured of all; Whitesmith is the best- 
flavoured of the Lancashire show sorts, and 
Warrington is the best finisher. He also 
sent me the Red Champagne and Ironmonger, 
both excellent in flavour, but too small. 
The only difference between them was, one was 
pubescent and the other impubescent, one was 
of branching habit, and the other of erect habit, 
the flavour being identical. Ironmonger is 
the best bottler or preserve goosebqrry known. 
I cannot mention Mr. Rivers without ac¬ 
knowledging how much I am indebted to him 
for almost all the fruits in my garden, many of 
them his kind gifts ; indeed, I may say the best 
fruits in my garden were his gifts. He has 
few more sincere mourners than Mr. Brehaut 
and myself. But I must proceed. 
Many of the pear-trees failed, but the fol¬ 
lowing are splendidly cropped, especially the 
first I name, which is one of the best to have, 
namely — Beurre Hard) y, Gratioli , Beurre 
Mauxion, Beurre d’Amanlis, Poire Peche, 
Marie Louise d'Uccle, Comte de Lamp, 
Albertine, Duchess of Orleans , Beurre Baclie- 
lier, Beurre Biel , Souvenir dit Congres, Thomp¬ 
son's, and Dr. Trousseau. They are all on the 
Quince stock. I was not aware they were so 
well cropped when I sent an account to the 
Gardeners' Chronicle. Many of the pear-trees 
are black-blighted. Three of the best pears 
here—namely, Josephine de Malines, Beurre 
Superjin, Doyenne du Cornice , are poorly cropped. 
Apples (early) are a failure, but the late 
orchard apples are a splendid crop. The best 
cropper chiefly is called the Corton Pippin, which 
makes excellent cider. I cannot find its name 
even in Mr. John Scott's exhaustive list, and 
suppose it is a local name. I have sent some 
twigs to Mr. Scott for propagation, and possi¬ 
bly I may some day hear its proper name. 
I must now refer to the kings of fruits, Peaches 
and Nectarines, which are objects of my special 
care and delight. I have been twenty-seven years 
studying them ; and I am glad that they re¬ 
quire study and attention all the year round. 
The vigour of the trees, and their beautiful 
foliage [magnificent— Ed.] will show that they 
are looked after. I hardly ever have any 
blister, for the trees being in such good 
condition, they are able to withstand the 
effects of severe weather, both in the winter 
and in the spring. The spring, as I have 
already observed, was most ungenial; we had 
no sun to ripen the male dust, without which 
impregnation cannot take place. From Mr. 
Brehaut’s “ Peach-Pruner ” (p. 17), I glean 
the following :—“ The flowers are composed 
of floral envelopes and sexual organs. The 
floral envelopes are the calyx and corolla ; the 
divisions of the calyx are known as sepals, and 
those of the corolla as petals. The sexual 
organs are the stamens and the pistil. The 
stamens are the male organs, which are many, 
and surround the pistil or female organ, which 
is a unit, in the centre of the stamens. The 
anther at the extremity of the stamens contains 
pollen, or fertilising dust. The pistil is the 
female organ of plants, the extremity of [which 
is called the stigma, and the base the ovary, 
