104 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 17, 1885. 
NOTES ON PEARS. 
It is with considerable pleasure that I look forward 
to the coming Conference to he held at Chiswick, and 
to which all interested in the welfare of this delicious 
autumn and winter fruit should not lose the opportu¬ 
nity thus afforded them of sending samples of any 
kinds, the names of which may not be known to them. 
I know of nothing more disappointing than to have 
charge of a collection of Pears, or even to have a tree 
or two of kinds, the names of which are not known to 
us, as in such a case one runs considerable risk of 
losing the fruit for the want of timely attention—at 
least until we have made ourselves acquainted with 
them ; for some kinds of Pears go decayed in the 
centre, when kept in a cool place, before they show 
any symptoms of ripening externally. 
With the early kinds of Pears, such as Doyenne 
d’Ete, Jargonelle, and Williams’ Bon Chretien, we 
have simply to gather a few at a time, and place them 
on a shelf in any room or shed, when they will soon 
be fit for table ; and the same may be said of such 
kinds as ripen during September and the early part of 
October, among which may be mentioned Beurre de 
l’Assomption, Brockworth Park, Flemish Beauty, 
Beurre d’Amanlis, and,'occasionally some of the October 
Pears will come in during that month, and vice versa. 
It is almost absolutely necessary that all long-keeping 
kinds of Pears, that is to say, those that do not ripen 
for some weeks or months after they have been gathered 
from the trees, should be kept in a cool place free from 
frost, and to remove them from this cold room to the 
dessert-table is not the proper way to get such fruits 
appreciated ; for those who have ever partaken of any 
part of this ice-cold fruit in the cold winter months 
will probably have experienced an attack of indiges¬ 
tion, if they had never done so before. Now, apart 
from the danger of these fruits becoming ripe before 
we are aware of it, it is necessary that we should know 
exactly when such and such kinds will ripen, so that 
we may place them in some warm situation to bring 
them forward a few at a time, according to the demand, 
as it is a well-known fact that the majority of Pears 
are better flavoured when used before they get dead 
ripe, as many when in that state are mealy and almost 
flavourless. 
Our method of bringing the fruit forward for table 
use from this season onwards for three months is to 
have a shallow box lined with wadding and paper, and 
which holds two or three dozen fruits, over which we 
place a lid, and then put the box on the stage over the 
pipes in the latest vinery, where late Grapes are hanging 
and which is kept at a comfortable temperature from 
now onwards to the new year. From this box we draw 
our daily supplies. "We have now in their ripening 
quarters fruits of Marie Louise d’Ucele, which, with us, 
is a prodigious bearer ; but the flavour is not to be com¬ 
pared with that of the old Marie Louise, some fruits of 
which are also being brought on with Beurre Capiau- 
mont, Jersey Gratioli, Flemish Beauty, Doyenne 
Boussoch, and Louise Bonne of Jersi y, which will be 
followed by such kinds as Comte de Lamy, Seckle, 
Brown Beurre, and later gatherings of some of the former 
kinds, especially of Marie Louise, which it is impossible 
to extend over too long a season. These will be fol¬ 
lowed in turn by such varieties as Duchess d’Angouleme, 
Beurre Diel, Beurre Clairgeau, Thompsons, Yan Mons. 
Leon Leclerc, which -will carry us on through No¬ 
vember, when such kinds as Passe Colmar, Beurre 
d’Aremberg, GlouMorceau, and "Winter Nelis will carry 
us through December, after which Easter Beurre, Beurre 
Eance, and Ne Plus Meuris will carry us well nigh to 
the end of March, if in sufficient quantities. 
It may easily be seen how necessary it is to make 
ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the habits of the 
kinds, and though no hard and fast rule can be laid 
down as to when this or that kind will be ripe, as the 
nature of stocks, aspect, and climate differ so much in 
different parts of the country, anyone who has made 
himself tolerably well acquainted with the leading 
kinds will soon master these little differences. Those 
who have not any quantity of fruit or a great number 
of kinds to deal with may make each kind extend over 
a considerably longer season by going over the tree and 
making two or three gatherings, laying the fruits from 
each gathering by themselves, and introducing them 
into any warm room, such as a shelf not a great distance 
from a fire-place which is generally in use, or a drawer 
similarly placed, and they are best wrapped up from air 
as much as possible, 
It is too late now for anyone to avail themselves of 
this hint, as, by the time these notes are published the 
bulk of the Pear crop of this year will have been 
gathered in. The general test of fitness to gather is 
when the fruit will part freely from the tree, but this is 
not altogether a reliable guide, as some fruits of Marie 
Louise d’Uccle, with us, hang tenaciously to the wood 
when they might without detriment have been placed 
on the dessert table. "Winter Nelis is also a kind that 
never, with us, parts freely from the wood ; whilst 
Passe Colmer and Ne Plus Meuris, although equally as 
late, and the latter later in ripening, will part as freely 
as possible, some time before we care to gather in late- 
keeping kinds. 
The best way to try the fruit to know if it is fit for 
table is to give it a sight squeeze near the footstalk, as 
it is less likely to disfigure the fruit there than when 
tried in the more fleshy part of the fruit. Intending 
planters may depend on the foregoing as being among 
the most reliable kinds to plant, and many of 
them will succeed as espalier and bush trees, as well 
as against a wall, which latter must be considered the 
home for the Pear tree in this country, as there are 
few kinds that are not benefited by such a position. 
Those who require good stewing Pears will find Catillac 
and Uvedale’s St. Germain two excellent kinds, but 
doubtless the coming conference will bring several 
little known sorts prominently tothefront.— C. Warden. 
■ -—- 
BASKET FERNS. 
Where Ferns are used in baskets for the decoration 
and embellishment of the greenhouse or conservatory, 
there is generally a run on a few kinds, a sameness, as 
it were, which would appear to point to a lack of suit¬ 
able sorts for this purpose, which really does not exist. 
The kinds usually employed, too, are by no means the 
best adapted or most worthy, and which, from their 
non-pendant habit of growth, cannot be admired so well 
when grown in baskets as if grown in the old style in 
pots. A plant under the eye is the one which generally 
commands the immediate notice of visitors, and needs 
none of the neck twisting and straining so often 
requisite where basket plants are in use in an endeavour 
to get a glimpse of their beauty. In order then to 
avoid this rather unpleasant sensation, the first thing 
to bear in mind is that of the position which they 
should occupy, and before deciding this, the following 
points should be duly considered :— 1.—What place are 
they to furnish ? If this be a small greenhouse, the 
basket should be so placed as to meet the eye on 
entering, and if of fully pendant habit, it should be 
raised sufficiently high to allow of plenty of head room, 
or if overhanging other plants it should be placed 
accordingly. 2.—Their habit of growth. If the plants 
are of close habited growth, twining its waj' through 
the net-work of the basket and clinging closely to it, 
the)' may be conveniently placed towards the front 
of the house, overhanging it may be, the plants on 
the front stage. In such a position and on a level 
with the eye they are seen to advantage and readily 
admired, not so, however, when such close growing 
kinds, as Davallia Tyermanni and D. Mariesii, are 
suspended 2 ft. or 3 ft. above ones head. Always have 
them within easy view so that they have not to be 
lifted down to be admired, then is it that basket plants 
of all descriptions are both pleasing and attractive. 
Baskets of Ferns to become really good ornaments 
require, at first, a certain amount of judgment and dis¬ 
cretion in making them, and also a fair knowledge of the 
dimensions of the plants when fully grown, respecting 
which much will depend on the kinds themselves and the 
temperature in which they are grown. With a view 
to assisting any who may have a desire in this direction 
I will briefly cite some of the most worthy Ferns suited 
either to warm or cool houses, and of which there are 
plenty of sorts sufficiently diversified in form to suit all 
comers, even should they require a basket Fern 7 ft. or 
8 ft, across. I hope these dimensions will alarm no 
reader of the Gardening World, for possibly many 
amateur’s greenhouses are only twice that size, and to 
monopolise it with one plant would never do. Cer- 
tainly not ! But even the smallest greenhouses may 
be catered for, and beautiful baskets of Ferns only the 
same number of inches across may be had in plenty. 
Adiantum Farleyense. —Among Maidenhair Ferns 
or Adiantums there are several of great value for basket 
work, foremost among which is A. Farleyense, the 
veritable prince of the genus, a grand and telling plant 
when well grown, no matter what system is adopted. 
As a basket plant it is little known, though among the 
most valuable. I first saw it thus used in the Cam¬ 
bridge Botanic Gardens, where Mr. Lynch had evidently 
well calculated its worth. If besides a fair-sized plant 
for the centre of the basket some smaller ones can be 
afforded for the sides, the latter will be furnished at 
once, as it would if a fair specimen only was used. 
Adiantum amabile. —The next best Adiantum is 
amabile, an elegant and most graceful Fern. The fronds 
are quickly and numerously produced, and altogether it 
is one of the most pleasing basket plants I know. 
Another and a fitting companion for the last-named is 
Adiantum assimile, which, with the above-named, 
delights in a warm or temperate house, where they 
make quick growth. Then we have a really good plant 
in the British Maidenhair 
Adiantum capillus-veneris, which furnishes a 
basket well. This is sufficiently hardy to be well 
grown in a cold house, though to keep it in presentable 
condition a cool greenhouse temperature may be best. 
These three last-named Adiantums have all rliizomatous 
growths, hence they are adapted for furnishing the sides 
of baskets ; and considering that these rhizomes are so 
abundantly produced in these three plants, we only get 
the one half of their beauty developed when grown in 
pots as against that when grown in baskets, and where 
they have every facility for free development in all 
directions. 
During the spring of the present year I basketed some 
plants of A. amabile—plants that had been starved in 
pots for two or three years past, though the pots were 
crowded with crowns. My first stroke was to cut the 
ball in halves. These I laid to the sides of the basket, 
and having well loosened the matted roots, I completed 
the operation by filling in with good soil. In a few 
weeks fronds in abundance were to be seen issuing from 
the sides of the basket, in itself a proof that such plants 
should not be imprisoned in pots where they are grown 
for their intrinsic worth and beauty. Pots are a grand 
commercial convenience which we cannot do without, 
still there is no reason why the culture of so many 
plants in pots, which are grown for what they are 
worth, should be adhered to in private gardens, in the 
ease of plants which are better adapted for baskets 
Adiantum Lathomii. —Another Adiantum which I 
must not overlook is Lathomii. It is not very common 
yet, but just take a glimpse of it, and you will easily 
see a charming companion for A. Farleyense in its 
elegant and graceful fronds. Passing from the Maiden¬ 
hair Ferns, we have some good things among 
Aspleniums and Davallias. —Of Aspleniums which 
do well in a greenhouse temperature the best are bulbi- 
ferurn, Veitchi, and flaccidum. In the genus Davallia 
we get a greater variety, and for the most part they 
are essentially greenhouse subjects. The following may 
be employed for baskets :—Canariense and its variety, 
pulcliella, elegans, dissecta, Mariesii, and TyermaniL 
The last-named does best, perhaps, in a warmer tem¬ 
perature than the others ; but one, the best of all this 
group, is D. Mooreana. This is the plant for a warm 
house, and one which will attain 7 ft. in diameter, and 
this as a basket plant. Yes ! this is so, and within the 
limits of the size as seen by the writer in the late Mr. 
Joad’s garden, at Wimbledon, some years ago. "When 
seen of such a size it is not readily forgotten, nor can 
its value be over-estimated. Among newer introductions 
in the way of stove Ferns, we have a perfect gem for 
basket work in Messrs. Yeitch’s new Davallia tenui- 
folia Veitchiana, the elegant drooping habit of which 
is well shown in the accompanying illustration, kindly 
placed at our service by the Messrs. Veitcli. Its fronds 
grow from 2 j ft. to 31 ft. long, and are very finely cut. 
Goniophlebium appendiculatum. —A very distinct 
Fern, too, is Goniophlebium appendiculatum, the rachis 
or mid-rib of which assumes a reddish hue. It is suited 
for the greenhouse. In 
Microlepia hirta cristata we have another valu¬ 
able basket Fern of easy growth. The arching fronds 
are of considerable size, and are heavily tasselled at the 
extremities, which give to the plant a graceful appear¬ 
ance. Of more frequent occurrence than many is 
Nephrolepis exaltata, which is well suited to a 
greenhouse temperature ; is of easy culture and of free 
elegant growth. Then in the genus 
Pteris we get variety again, several of the best tas¬ 
selled forms making excellent basket plants, and their 
cultural requirements are very simple. Give them a 
