October 30, 1883 
T IT ft GARDENING WORLD. 
133 
BEURRE DE L’ASSOMPTION 
PEAR. 
In our issue of September 25tli, we inserted a com¬ 
munication from our esteemed correspondent, “ W. C., 
Croome,” on the useful and practical subject of Pear 
versus Peach culture on south walls. In the garden 
over which our correspondent so ably presides, it has 
been found, as in many others of late years, that the 
Peaches grown on the south wall do not come to the 
same perfection as they used to do ; and it has been 
found more profitable to grow in that position the 
choicer varieties of Pears, which are more appreciated 
at the table than inferior quality Peaches. Our corres¬ 
pondent sent us at the same time two specimens of the 
comparatively little-known Beurre de rAssomption 
Pear, which weighed within a fraction of 2 lbs. Our 
artist has cleverly hit off the characteristics of the 
larger fruit in the accompanying illustration, which we 
publish in order to direct attention to a variety, which, 
when cultivated on walls, does not deserve the character 
of being clumsy and ugly, and inferior in quality, that 
has been given it. It is an early variety, somewhat 
resembling in flavour Williams’ Ben Chretien, with 
the flesh melting and juicy ; but, unlike that variety, 
which is only in first-iate condition for a few hours, 
Beurre de l’Assomption can be used over a longer 
period. 
--- 
FRUIT SHOW AT EXETER. 
The season has not been the most favourable for the 
production of a heavy crop of Apples and Pears. Not¬ 
withstanding this, the number and the excellence of 
the fruits staged at the recent exhibition at Exeter 
surpassed those of the previous shows. A committee, 
of which Mr. J. I. Pengelly is the energetic lion, sec¬ 
retary, and Mr. W. Playters Wilkinson the lion, 
treasurer, has now given, by the efforts of the members, 
he exhibition a permanent character, and provided a 
means which only needs the co-operation of the growers 
to attain a most laudable end — the attraction of atten¬ 
tion to the recognised best sorts of Apples and Pears, 
conducing thus to an improvement in the special culture 
of these fruits in the west country. That such essential 
co-operation is being received, says a local paper, is 
self-evident, for as many as 1,353 dishes of Apples, and 
576 dishes of Pears, were this year staged. These 
numbers represented 463 class entries and 90 exhibitors, 
who came variously from the counties of Devon, 
Cornwall, Somerset, Hereford, Dorset and Kent. The 
Dowager Countess of Morley, Lord Poltimore, Lady 
Frances Fletcher (Kent), Sir Thomas Acland and Sir 
George Clay (Dorset) were among those who sent fruit. 
Much the same character was given to the show by 
the decorations as in previous years, with the result that 
the interior of the market was agreeably transformed 
into an attractive spectacle. Additional interest was also 
attached to the show by the introduction of one or two 
specialities, the first being a consignment of Canadian 
fruit, from one of the collections sent periodically to 
the Colonial Exhibition, and in obtaining it for the 
Exeter show, the committee received the assistance of 
the interest kindly exercised by the member for the 
city (the Hon. H. S. Northcote). The specimens from 
Canada were admired for their state of preservation, and 
in one or two instances for merit in point of colour and 
size ; but after allowing for disadvantages sustained by 
long transit and frequent packings, the preference by 
general consent was given to the home fruit exhibited. 
The best class in the show was undoubtedly that for 
twenty-four varieties, and open to all. The judges had 
a deal of difficulty in arriving at a conclusion, but 
eventually premier honours went to Kent; the evenness 
of Messrs. Bunyard’s specimens placing them in front 
of Mr. J. Watkins’s (Hereford), and Mr. C. G. Sclater’s 
(Heavitree). The Messrs. Bunyard were successful in 
winning altogether ten first and five second prizes. 
Among the exhibitors (not for competition) were Messrs. 
F. D. FulfordjW. Barrow (Bishopsteignton), B. Brown, 
J. Watkins, H. Berwick and G. Arnold. Messrs. 
Lucoinbe, Pince & Co. sent 100 dishes of Apples of 
recognised excellence, and a choice collection of Pears ; 
the firm also exhibited specimens of the Tobacco plant 
grown at their Exeter Nurseries, and in which con¬ 
siderable interest was manifested. Messrs. Veitch & 
Son were represented by 125 dishes of fruit, the merits 
of which attracted the attention of visitors ; they also 
sent a few dishes of English-grown Almonds, and one 
or two other novelties. The judges were Messrs. 
George Baker, Plympton ; W. Bull, Downes ; J. 
Enstone, Wear, Exeter; J. Horsham, Dawlish ; P. Lang, 
Poltimore ; and W. G. Pragnell, Sherborne. At noon 
the show was opened in state by the Mayor, who was 
accompanied by Aldermen Wilkinson and Tucker, 
Councillors Wreford, Brown, Davey and Linscott, Mr. 
B. C. Gidley, Mr. C. R. Collins, &c. His Worship 
said he was glad to note that the entries had increased 
from 580 in the first year to 764 at this show, and 
hoped that the balance against the society—£27— 
would be cleared off by the extensive patronage which 
this show deserved. He instanced the Horticultural 
Society, which began the year in debt, and was now, 
thanks to the new life imparted into it, about £100 to 
the good. Alluding to the Canadian fruit exhibited, 
he said the result of enterprise in that quarter had been 
that while in 1874 15,000 barrels of fruit were sent to 
this country from Canada, last year 244,000 odd were 
sent. His Worship concluded by giving those present 
a few hints on the value of transplanting, and for his 
inaugural services received, on the motion of Mr. 
Alderman Tucker, the thanks of the committee and 
public. 
-->X<-- 
THE STOKE-HOLE. 
The almost daily downpour of rain which we have 
experienced in Lancashire for the past three weeks, and 
the approaching winter, force our mind to wander up 
and down the country to various places familiar to us 
where the stoke-holes are affected by floods, and even 
ordinary rain. We have a vivid recollection of the un¬ 
expected step over shoe-tops into some of these water- 
traps ; and before retiring for the night, in order to 
prevent the fire being put out, we have been engaged 
in leading the water out, to find in the morning our 
efforts defeated. It is well known that to excavate a 
stoke-hole of ordinary depth in low-lying localities, 
and especially near rivers, is to make a well where more 
or less water will be found most of the year, and much 
money has been spent in bricks, cement and clay, with 
the view of shutting out the water ; but alas ! of no avail, 
for in it came. In one instance I was told £50 had 
been spent in puddling, and after all the water oozed 
in, and in winter occasionally put out the fire just at 
a time it was most wanted. The only security in this 
case, it appears, would be to construct an iron tank of 
sufficient dimensions to enclose the boiler, and accomo¬ 
date a supply of fuel for the night, also ashes and 
clinkers. It would prevent the tank wearing if it be 
covered with sheet iron where there is the most traffic 
and shovelling going on. 
What a relief it would be if we could dispense 
with these costly adjuncts to our hot-houses, for other 
reasons than to escape the water. Hitherto, the 
orthodox rule of having the flow-pipe to raise gently 
from the boiler during its whole course, has compelled 
the liot-water engineer to sink his boiler in order to 
attain the desired rise, and all who have written or 
spoken on the subject of heating by hot.-water, have 
never, so far as I am aware of, suggested any other 
course. We had an exhaustive paper on the subject, read 
before the members of the Preston and Fulwood Horti¬ 
cultural Society, by Mr. Bardney, of Norris Green, which 
I have read, and I think it stated that the flow should 
rise 1 in. every 20 ft. to secure good circulation, and 
this, I believe, is the usual practice. Recently, how¬ 
ever, I have watched the working of more than one 
boiler set by Messrs. Metcalfe & Dillworth, Fishergate 
St., Preston, on the ground level, and the 200 ft. or so 
of piping is in one instance from 2 ft. to 3 ft. below 
the boiler, so that the above rule, as to the flow-pipe, is 
contemptuously disregarded with satisfactory results. 
In other words, the boiler is 3 ft. above its work, which 
has saved the expense of excavating a hole 4 ft. to 5 ft. 
deep, and about S ft. square, bricking it round as well 
as paving the bottom. 
From the arrangements I have seen, the water 
difficulty would present no obstacle to Messrs. Metcalfe 
& Dillworth to fix a boiler in any locality, but to what 
extent the principle would work, I am not prepared to 
say.— Horlus. 
