August 27, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
823 
PEARS. 
The report of the committee of the National Pear 
Conference, held in the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Garden, Chiswick, in 1885, is now before us, and is 
entitled and takes the form of the ninth volume of the 
journal of the society. It has been prepared by Mr. 
A. F. Barron, the superintendent of the society’s 
gardens, and is similar to, but is a trifle smaller than 
its sister volume entitled British Apples. In the latter 
1,545 varieties of Apples are described, giving their 
synonyms ; while only 616 varieties of Pears have 
been described in the present case. The contents of 
the volume are arranged after the same fashion as 
that of British Apples, with the exception that the 
tabular arrangement of the selected varieties for each 
county are classified according to the months they 
come in season, which is undoubtedly an improvement, 
as forming a handy guide to intending planters whose 
experience in fruit culture is limited. 
The outcome of the conference, resulting in the com¬ 
pilation of the experience of gardeners throughout the 
country, furnishes us with this handy little volume— 
a mine of statistics that cannot fail to be of service 
even to experienced growers, whose labours in fruit¬ 
growing have been confined to one or a few districts or 
places. What may be important to growers on a large 
scale is the special selection of sorts that have proved 
to be suitable for orchard culture in each of the 
respective counties from which representative collec¬ 
tions -were sent to the conference. As might be 
expected, the more favoured and sunny southern 
counties produced, as a rule, the best specimens of 
cultivation, and exhibited the greatest number of 
varieties. The greatest number of exhibitors from any 
one county was twenty from Middlesex, while Surrey 
and Kent followed, sending sixteen and eleven ex¬ 
hibitors respectively. It is a great matter for surprise 
to learn that the collections sent to the conference- 
numbering in all 616 varieties, after a thorough sifting— 
were, on the whole, remarkably correct as to nomen¬ 
clature. This, and the comparatively few synonyms 
that were found to exist, is all the more creditable to 
gardeners and cultivators generally, seeing that some 
classes of garden plants—perhaps numbering only as 
many tens as there were hundreds in this case—are in 
a great state of confusion. This cannot arise from any 
facility or easy means of distinguishing the different 
varieties, for under different conditions as to soil and 
climate the same sorts are often with difficulty 
recognisable. 
Fifteen comparatively new Pears, as yet but little 
known in cultivation, have been recommended by the 
committee, and four new French varieties are recom¬ 
mended for trial in this country. Besides the latter 
four and the Conference Pear, which was certificated, 
no other meritorious kinds have been brought to the 
notice of cultivators ; a fact by no means remarkable, 
bearing in mind the difficulty experienced in raising 
anything really distinct, or offering advantages over 
older sorts. Worthless varieties undeserving of culti¬ 
vation have been ignored, or eliminated from older 
lists, and sixty of the most prominent selected from the 
whole exhibited would form a very representative 
collection for any garden. The cultural remarks are 
very valuable, and the importance of the Quince as a 
stock for the Pear has been prominently brought to the 
notice of cultivators. On the whole we consider the 
book a very valuable adjunct to horticultural literature, 
and a useful companion to British Apples on the shelf 
of the garden library. 
-- 
TLAND. 
Peaches. —For training as cordons, along rafters, 
or on single rods spurred, Sea Eagle answers admirably. 
On this system great numbers of fruit can be had in a 
small space, and with little trouble to the cultivator. 
In the collection in the famous Peach-house at Drum- 
lanrig we saw the Sea Eagle, a few years ago, in 
perfection for the first time, and followed suit. 
Our crops since the tree was a year old, from the time 
of being planted, have given the most satisfactory 
results. In an early house, for the finest Peaches of 
good colour and size combined, the Early Crawford 
stands unrivalled. We are not much acquainted with 
its flavour, but were told by those who used it for 
dessert that it was of great excellence. Deep crimson 
next the sun, and a rich golden hue towards the stalk, 
gives this kind a very imposing appearance. It is often 
supposed that Peaches should be near the glass to 
attain a high colour. This is a great fallacy. Wo 
never saw finer-coloured fruits than those on the back 
walls of houses 18 ft. wide, and 17 ft. high, the 
trellis being 5 ft. from the glass. Peaches and Necta¬ 
rines attain the richest colour at this distance. 
It is pleasing to notice that such serviceable old 
kinds, as mentioned by Mr. Markham (p. 795), still 
maintain their popularity, and to make a first-rate trio 
Royal George may well be added. It is found in nearly 
every collection in the northern part of the Kingdom, 
and rarely do we visit an exhibition during August and 
September (if fruits of this class are shown) but Royal 
George and Stirling Castle are present; the latter 
appears to be very hardy, and when well managed is 
very beautiful. A tree loaded with this northern pro¬ 
duction in the Parkhall Peacheries was a fine picture ; 
the fruit was of good size, crimson next the sun and 
deep red to the back. This high colouring is attained 
by keeping the fruit well cleared of the foliage, allowing 
the sun and air to have full power on it. Bellegarde 
is, however, our chief favourite among Peaches; 
colouring and free bearing are strong points in its 
character, and its flavour is second to none (Noblesse 
excepted) that we have tasted. The hardiest kind 
we know is Yiolette Hative ; like some others it does 
much better in some districts, and never have we seen 
it so fine as in some of the gardens in Wilts and 
Somerset where lime seems to abound in the soil. We 
haye much faith in adding plenty of lime to Peach soil 
if it does not already form a part. The most pro¬ 
ductive Peach we have this season is Sea Eagle ; the 
fruits average about 9 ins. apart on the tree and are of 
great size.— Caledonian. 
Chrysanthemums. —It is drawing towards the 
period when cultivators of the popular Chrysanthemum 
may have to find means to protect the plants from 
sudden changes of fine weather to frosty nights ; and 
as we have been told that the thermometer has been as 
low as 32” [and even 30° in the south.— Ed.] in some 
exposed northern districts, and that in some of the 
colder districts of England (we have lately read) the 
nights have been excessively cold for the season— one 
need not be caught unawares. The sad remembrance 
of the disastrous misfortunes which befel Chrysanthe¬ 
mums nearly two years ago suggest that timely warn¬ 
ing to the inexperienced should be given. The great 
increase of fresh growers each season enlists the sym¬ 
pathy of “old hands,” who should not be tardy in 
giving a hint of their experience to the uninitiated. A 
framework, over which mats or frigi domo can be 
thrown, would likely do all that is necessary to protect 
the plants till they must be taken under glass. A 
clearance of the old soil from the surface of the pots, 
and a top-dressing with loam and rotten manure mixed 
with a little soot will do much to maintain a healthy 
foliage and develope large flowers. Plants often lose 
their foliage during the early autumn, and the con¬ 
sequence is a poor floral display, which can clearly be 
traced to starving the roots. 
Close Cropping'. —We have frequently noticed 
instructions (not in The Gardening World) given 
to crop moderately, and not tax the resources of the 
land too much. Where there is a deficient supply of 
manure, such advice is consistent with sound economy; 
but where the supply to the wants of the land is on the 
liberal scale which high cultivation demands, we 
would advise as close cropping, frequent sowings and 
plantings, as opportunity affords. This does not advise, 
however, the crowding of space, which is positively 
mischievous to crops. One plant smothering up its 
fellows is a sure means of meeting failure. At this 
season a complete vegetable-garden should have no 
vacant space and be quite destitute of weeds. There is 
so much which can be used for filling up ground at this 
season, that one can sow and plant to his heart’s 
content. If space is in excess of manual power to 
cultivate it properly, as unfortunately is too often seen, 
we would advise the laying down a portion of the 
ground into grass, and planting Apples, such as produce 
good crops every season, and cultivate properly the 
space left. No market-growers that we know can 
afford to retain half-cultivated land, but they put plenty 
in, and in return get abundance out.— Caledonian. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
Bedding Plants. —The propagating season has 
again come round, and in light sandy or chalky districts 
especially many will be at their wits’ ends to know 
where to get cuttings, owing to the meagre growth 
made by plants in many places consequent upon the 
severe and protracted drought of the summer we have 
just passed through. This applies to Pelargoniums, 
Lobelias, and similar things, which, in many places, 
have flowered so profusely, favoured by the dryness of 
the atmosphere and the abundance of sunshine, that 
little growth has been made, and few or no side-shoots 
produced that could best bo spared for propagating 
purposes. In such cases the whole plant may be 
preserved at lifting time, and potted up for planting 
out next season, or used to supply cuttings when 
growth has commenced in spring. Cuttings of Pelar¬ 
goniums obtainable now will root with most certainty 
if dibbled into prepared ground in the open air ; or, 
better still, if a large quantity is required, make a 
shallow trench with the spade, and into this arrange 
the cuttings neatly against the even side. If the 
natural soil of the garden is at all heavy, put a quantity 
of light material—old potting-soil or a similar compost— 
next to the cuttings, and fill in the trench, making the 
soil firm so as to secure them. When rooted, they 
may be potted up singly in autumn, and will form 
excellent stuff by planting-out time next season. If 
the requisite space cannot be afforded bedding stuff so 
treated, put the cuttings three in a 60-sized pot, or 
dibble into boxes containing a suitable light compost, 
covered with a clean layer of sand. If no stock has 
been kept in pots, and cuttings cannot be had from 
Lobelias in the open ground, lift a few of the old 
plants, pot them up, and cut off all the flower-stems. 
Fresh growth will be produced, and plants so treated 
will become established before winter, thus affording 
any quantity of cuttings, either before autumn has 
advanced too far, or in spring, -when propagation is 
being actively prosecuted. Fuchsias, Cupheas, Pansies, 
Yiolas, Verbenas, and similar things may also be seen 
to at once. 
Mignonette. —For spring-flowering, seeds of this 
useful sweet-scented subject should be sown now ; use 
a compost consisting of two parts of good fibrous loam ; 
one part well-rotted manure ; and one part of old 
mortar rubbish. The latter is a very useful ingredient 
in the cultivation of Mignonette, as it naturally grows 
on calcareous soil or chalky places. A quantity of 
sharp river-sand will also prove most useful in securing 
a proper porosity of the soil; as Mignonette is naturally 
very impatient with stagnant moisture. Except in the 
case of standards, or Tree Mignonette as it is called, 
5-in. or 6-in. pots will be sufficiently large for mere 
purposes of greenhouse or conservatory decoration. 
Having well drained the pots, fill them with the 
prepared compost to within J in. of the rim ; and after 
making the surface smooth and level, sow the seeds 
thinly and cover lightly with a portion of the same 
compost sifted finely. This will ensure an even 
germination of the seedlings. Water with a fine rose 
and stand the pots on a bed of ashes in a cool frame, 
which should be kept close till the seeds are fairly well 
germinated. Previous to this shading may be resorted 
to with the view of preventing undue evaporation, 
should the sunshine be strong. As soon as germina¬ 
tion has been completed, give all the air possible 
without shading, as nothing is more prejudicial to a 
dwarf and sturdy growth than a close atmosphere. 
For a similar reason it is easier for the cultivator to 
obtain satisfactory results with Mignonette grown 
during the cooler half of the year than in summer. In 
October, or at the approach of winter, remove the pots 
to a greenhouse, or some similar structure, where a 
free circulation of air is permitted on all favourable 
occasions ; they should also be placed on a shelf near 
the glass, as a maximum of light is imperative during 
the dull winter months. Thin out the seedlings after 
ascertaining which will become the more vigorous, as 
crowding is one of the most crying causes of failure in 
the cultivation of annuals. No re-potting will be 
necessary in the case of Mignonette grown in this way, 
but a small and neat stake to prevent the plants falling 
about is most essential to their neat appearance. Water 
sparingly in winter, but towards spring, when growth 
is proceeding rapidly, give a copious supply.— J. F. 
OTES FROM 
ARDENING 
CO 
