120 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 22, 1887. 
OCTOBER PEARS. 
At the first monthly dinner for the present season of 
the Horticultural Club, held on the 11th inst., Mr. 
John Lee in the chair, Mr. George Bunyard, Maidstone, 
read the following paper on October Pears :— 
In bringing before you the above subject, I should, 
at the outset, observe that I feel there is little to be 
added to the present sum of knowledge on the subject 
in the few remarks I am about to make in the limited 
time allowed me for the purpose. Owing to the late 
spring and protracted drought, the Pears of September 
will, in some cases, be in season in October ; but as 
this is normal, I will confine myself to those usually 
in season in the present month. 
It has been observed by competent judges that all 
the good Pears may be counted on one’s fingers, which, 
in a degree, is true. Mr. Barron’s Pear Congress report 
names fifteen varieties only as having received over 
fifty votes in the selections made by 100 exhibitors at 
the 1886 Chiswick Conference, and Mr. Dunn gives 
fifteen as having over twenty votes given by the ex¬ 
hibitors at Edinburgh. Of this number the cream 
(nine varieties) come in season in the southern counties 
during October—viz., 1, Louise Bonne of Jersey; 2, 
Marie Louise ; 3, Beurre Superfin ; 4, Beurre Hardy ; 
5, Pitmaston Duchess ; 6, Fondante d’Automne ; 7, 
Thompson’s; 8, Comte de Lamy9, Emile d’Heyst. 
I intend to confine my remarks to the above, being 
those suited for dessert, and which no connoisseur of 
Pears would object to use himself. 
1. Louise Bonne oe Jersey.—T his succeeds on 
the Quince and makes a fertile pyramid. The fruit is 
of very refreshing flavour, juicy ; the best flavoured 
coming from standards on the Pear stock, on which it 
succeeds well. 
2. Marie Louise. —Best flavoured from open trees, 
but seldom bears freely, as the blossom is tender ; very 
fertile as a wall Pear and as an espalier ; requires much 
root-pruning as a pyramid, and is not happy on the 
Quince. 
3. Beurr^ Superfin.—Y ery fine as a pyramid on 
the Quince, producing handsome richly flavoured fruit; 
fertile, and a good grower. 
4. Beurr£ Hardy.— This possesses a rich, unique 
flavour; a beautiful grower as a pyramid, and very 
fertile ; fine on a wall; succeeds on the Quince. 
5. Pitmaston Duchess.—L arge, not always of 
fine quality, but yet so handsome as to be worthy of 
culture in any form ; hardy and a free bearer ; succeeds 
on the Quince. 
6. Fondante d’Automne.—O ne of the sweetest 
and best melting Pears ; forms a fertile pyramid on 
the Quince, and is good in any form. 
7. Thompson’s.—O ne of the finest Pears; very 
melting in texture ; thin skinned, of delicious flavour, 
distinct and valuable; succeeds on the Pear, but 
requires double working on the Quince. 
8. Comte de Lamy.—P articularly rich in flavour ; 
very fertile on the Pear or Quince ; rather an awkward 
grower, as it bears on the points of the shoots, and has 
much bare wood, as many eyes fail to start. 
9. Emile d’Heyst.—I n shape like Marie Louise ; 
very fertile both on the Pear and Quince ; very little 
known, but most desirable, being of rich honeyed 
flavour. In use towards the end of October. 
All the above form good cordons, except Comte de 
Lamy. 
In order to make the October Pears complete, the 
following may be added as worthy of a place in the 
garden, though not always of choice flavour or texture ; 
still some are valuable substitutes when the better class 
fail to bear :— 
1. Colmar d’EtA—A very sweet rich Pear, and a 
profuse bearer. 
2. Graham’s Autumn Nelis.—S mall, but de¬ 
licious ; a sweetmeat, crowded out by larger sorts. 
3. Doyenne Boussoch. — Fertile, of refreshing 
acidity. 
4. Durondeau. — Large and fertile, and fairly 
good. 
5. SecUle.—S mall, but delicious. 
6. Beup.rE Bose.—Of rich flavour. 
7. Eyewood. — Bon Chretien flavoured ; a very 
good small Bergamot kind ; most fertile. 
8. Beurr^ Diel.—O f peculiar richness (end of 
October), 
The market varieties for October would be Beurrd de 
Capiaumont, Duchesse d’Angouleme, Rivers’ Fertility, 
Marie Louise d’Uccle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Pit- 
fiaaston Duchess, Beurre Bose. These are for growth 
on standards, or better as half-standards, crop being 
all-important. 
I cannot let this opportunity slip without a word as 
to culture. It is most important that the roots be 
kept near the surface, that they may have the benefit 
of the sun warmth in the soil, for it is mainly on these 
that the quality of the fruit depends ; they are, in fact, 
the foragers for size and flavour, as against the tap 
roots, which provide for the woody growth and ex¬ 
tension of the tree. To this end root-pruning is a 
valuable aid; and although from the general over¬ 
worked condition of many gardeners, this is not so 
regularly carried out as could be desired, still, as it does 
away with much top-pruning, the operation is all- 
important, and saves labour in other ways. October 
is the best time for root-pruning. 
Mulching is valuable, but should only be carried out 
when the tree has a good crop, and if extra-sized clean 
fruits are desired, a previous dressing of Clay’s Fertiliser 
or a similar stimulant will be useful. The peat-moss 
manure now so much in use is valuable, as it contains 
fertilisers in a high degree, and is neat in appearance 
and handy for use. We employ it with great benefit 
e.g., our Pears gained third prize at the Crystal Palace 
on October 6th, against competitors who have grand 
walls and aged trees. Upon this mulching a liberal or 
rather copious supply of soft water should be given once 
a fortnight in the dry season. Some foliage may also 
be removed where it shades the fruit, and the summer 
removal of inside spray will further assist the ripening 
of wood and add size to the fruit. 
Thinning must be carried out with caution until the 
fruit is safely set, when all double bunches may be 
reduced to one, unless the tree is partially cropped, 
when it will carry them. As regards stocks upon which 
the trees should be worked, for the garden, except in 
very light soils, the Quince is preferable, as its surface¬ 
rooting character is more amenable to treatment, and 
it also takes nourishment more readily. 
In sandy soil those on the Pear stock alone should be 
tried, though a few choice sorts on the Quince might 
be grown in tubs or large pots sunk into the ground, in 
which, of course, a suitable soil could be used. 
The thanks of the meeting were given to Mr. Bunyard 
for his paper. 
-- 
PROPAGATING DRAOiENAS 
AND CROTONS. 
The present is an excellent time for increasing the 
stock of these useful plants, and also for reducing the 
height of those that have become leggy, which is 
certain to be the case after they have been used a few 
times on the dinner-table, or for room decoration, when 
they generally have to undergo sudden changes of 
temperature. It is fortunate, however, that both 
these subjects can be rooted quickly and easily, and be 
ready for use again in a few weeks from the time they 
are severed from the parent plant. We often root tops 
from 9 ins. to 1 ft. in length, without losing a leaf. 
At one time it was considered necessary to notch the 
plants and tie moss, or place a pot containing a little 
soil at the point where young roots were desired to 
form, and when these appeared to sever the tops from 
the parent stem. 
This practice is a good one when very large tops have 
to be rooted ; but for ordinary purposes is both trouble¬ 
some and unnecessary, excepting in cases where there 
is not the convenience of a structure with plenty of 
bottom or top heat at command. In our Cucumber 
and Melon houses, the valve used for regulating the 
bottom-heat is enclosed in a square of brickwork. On 
the top of this we place a hand-light, and cover the 
valve with sawdust or cocoa-nut fibre. Plunged in this 
material and kept close, both Dracsenas and Crotons 
root surprisingly well and quick. In preparing the 
tops, we take them off just below the point where the 
wood becomes soft, leaving J in. of the hard wood, and 
place them in pots from 2 ins. to 4 ins. in diameter, 
according to the size of the tops. For Dracaenas we 
use soil consisting of two-parts of nice fibry loam, one of 
peat, and plenty of sand around the base of the 
cutting, pressing the soil down firmly. For Crotons 
we use nothing but pure loam, with the addition of 
sand at the base, in which they root, grow freely, and 
colour well. 
After having removed the tops from Dracaenas, we 
cut the remaining portion of the stem into pieces about 
1 in. long, and place them in pans, just covering them 
with rough peat and loam, with a liberal addition of 
sand. When the young shoots that spring from them 
have grown to the length of 3 ins., they are cut off 
with a heel, inserted in thumb-pots, and plunged 
beneath a hand-light in the Cucumber house. Treated 
in this way, it is always an easy matter to have a few 
young ones coming on ; and by cutting plants down at 
the present time, inserting both tops and stems, the 
former will be ready for service in a short time, while 
the shoots springing from the latter may be grown into 
nice useful plants by the end of the following summer. 
— H. Dwnkin. 
-- 
CHOICE SPRING-FLOWERING 
PLANTS. 
Among the Snowdrops, Galanthus Elwesii takes a high 
place ; it is correctly described as the largest and most 
beautiful of all the Snowdrops, and distinct in foliage 
and flowers from any other species or variety, having 
large snow-white globular segments, the tube bright 
emerald green and white. Those who have to supply 
a number of cut flowers in early spring, should make 
this fine Snowdrop a leading feature, and having been 
greatly increased of late years, it can now be bought at 
a moderate price. Now as the Glory of the Snow 
(Chionodoxa Luciliae) flowers at the same time, it is an 
excellent subject to associate with Elwes’ Giant single 
Snowdrop, by planting them in patches on a gentle 
slope or any suitable place. The Chionodoxa is a 
charming blue spring flower, but I am unable to agree 
with those who think it will take the place of the 
Siberian Squill (Scilla sibirica). The flowers are deep 
blue with a white centre, the two shades forming an 
excellent contrast. I find it does best when planted 
out in good soil and left alone, taking care, however, 
ha nothing interferes with its free development. It 
is as hardy as the common Snowdrop, and, like the 
Snowdrop, will do well when a few bulbs are planted 
in a pot. C. sardensis differs from the preceding in 
the flowers being of a darker blue, and with a very 
small white eye; but it is very effective when in 
flower. 
Then there is Anemone fulgens and its double 
variety, with the glow of rich vermilion which is found 
in the former. This is a plant that should be in every 
garden, and I find it does well in a good sandy loam. 
I have alluded to the beautiful Scilla sibirica, and I 
think we have no blue-flowered bulbous plant that can 
rival it. How marvellously free it is ! Four years ago 
I put out some bulbs in a bed with Crocuses, the soil 
of which is never dug, the surface being annually top- 
dressed in autumn, and the bulbs each season throw up 
several spikes of bloom. S. bifolia, which is a little 
early in flowering, should be associated with it. It is 
earlier than the Chionodoxa, which is an advantage, as 
one does not require that all spring flowers should 
bloom at the same time. Then what is known as 
Corbularia Bulbocodium (the Hoop-petticoat Narciss) 
must not he overlooked, as it is beautiful both in the 
open ground and in pots, with its yellow flowers 
expanded like a crinoline. A pale lemon-coloured 
variety, named Citrinus, is delightful also, and no one 
need be deterred from buying both, as the roots are 
cheap. 
Then there are some Narcissus that must not be 
overlooked, and of which illustrations of some repre¬ 
sentative types are given opposite. N. bicolor, and 
that fine variety N. Horsfieldi, are, unfortunately, 
both scarce and dear; but they are so fine that 
they should be procured. N. Burbidgei, an early 
pure white variety, is quite cheap, and so are 
the following forms of N. ineomparabilis, viz., 
Cynosure, one of the best single forms of this species ; 
Stella, pure white, a fine type for cutting from; 
Backhousei, one of the hybrid forms, with coffee- 
cup shaped crowns ; and the double orange Phcenix. 
The double silver Phrenix is dear, and the large and 
bold Sir Watkin, a grand single form, is high in price, 
yet not beyond moderate means. Narcissus Pseudo¬ 
narcissus major is a fine deep yellow self; N. P. 
maximus is one of the best of the Trumpet varieties ; 
N. nobilis has white and yellow flowers, like a bicolor 
type, and is very early; N. obvallaris (the Tenby 
Daffodil), a capital form for cutting from ; N. posticus 
ornatus, a good type for forcing into flower early; 
Princeps, very early, and having large yellow trumpets ; 
Pallidus prsecox, pale primrose ; and the double Daffo¬ 
dil, Van Sion, are all cheap, very good, and well 
worthy of a place in the spring garden. Other fine 
types are represented by the hybrid N. Leedsii, or 
Euchari-flowered Daffodil, with white perianth and 
lemon cup ; by the hybrid N. Nelsoni, -with a white 
perianth and goblet-shaped yellow crown ; and by N. 
triandrus, including the beautiful Cyclamen-flowered 
N. cyclamineus, than which we have no more graceful 
plants, for rockwork, for pots, or for the spring 
garden.— E. D. 
