December 31, 1887. 
230 THE GARDENING WORLD. 
THE RIPENING- OF PEARS. 
It has been curious to notice the ripening of Pears 
this season. The cause must be the extraordinary 
drought of the past summer. As a rule the early ones 
ripened very quickly, and the late ones unduly early. 
This peculiarity in ripening has disturbed one’s dessert 
arrangements considerably. One never expects much 
continuity from Doyenne d’Ete and Green Chisel, nor, 
if late August and early September be hot, from Jar¬ 
gonelles ; but this year my Jargonelles ripened off 
fairly well; they were gathered in the third week of 
August, and furnished us with a good supply for very 
nearly a month, then the family being away I let the 
Bon Chretiens hang as long as I dared, knowing that 
once gathered they ripen so quickly. 
Here let me say, that a very good Pear grower of my 
acquaintance informs me that he always gets his Bon 
Chretiens before they are precisely ripe—that is, he 
gathers them before they come off easily, which is 
generally the test of gathering all Pears, and that by 
so doing he gets a longer use of them and better flavour. 
I have tried this plan in some degree myself, but can¬ 
not say I am convinced of its goodness. Perhaps I may 
have failed in some particular, slight in itself, but 
important as to the result. I mention it here that all 
fruit growers may consider it, and say, if they have 
tried it, how it has affected them. I find from my Pear 
book that I gathered Bon Chretien on the 13th of 
September, and our family being then at Scarborough, 
after sending some fruit on to them I had to put 
the others into the market before the seventh day after 
getting them, or they would have been past use. 
Now Beurre d’Amanlis ripened off slowly and well, 
and almost to the last fruit. Louise Bonne of Jersey 
and Autumn Nelis did the same. Baronne de Mello 
ripened off this season with higher qualities than it has 
ever previously shown. It was juicy, buttery, piquantly 
flavoured, and much inquired for at table. The fruits 
of Forelle were so pecked by the birds, that very few 
were presentable—with me the variety is only second- 
rate ; indeed, I have partly made up my mind to head 
it down and graft with Doyenne du Comice, which is 
really a fine useful Pear, and very acceptable indeed on 
the table. Souvenir du Congres fruited here for the 
first time, and though of large size, high coloured on 
the sunny side, and fine-flavoured, it is, I fear, much 
too quick in ripening. I planted it to extend the Bon 
Chretien season of Pears, Souvenir du Congres being 
said to be an improved Bon Chretien, but from its 
behaviour this year I judge it will come in along with 
the Bon Chretiens, and not after them ; if so, I shall 
be disappointed. I should like to hear the opinion of 
those Pear growers who have proved it. 
Beurre de Capiaumont and Beurre Clairgeau went 
rotten at the core before the outer part was anything 
like ripe. I was most provoked, however, about 
Triomphe de Jodoigne, which last year ripened off so 
well and so slowly that we used every one. This year 
they were very fine, and I promised myself having 
many fine dishes to send in, but these again went 
rotten, and the flesh was no better than a good 
Turnip. To set against November, Vicar of Winkfield, 
which is usually put on one side to stew, is at this 
date (December 19th) the most acceptable Pear I am 
sending to the table. It is melting, juicy and sweet. 
Two other Pears have upset my arrangements this 
season by a too early development; these are Easter 
Beurre and Josephine de Malines. The former, from a 
wall, had to be eaten, and were finished a fortnight 
ago ; while the latter are being used now, and will be 
quite consumed before the old year is out, and then 
what am I to do at the new year ? I shall only have 
Ne plus Meuris and Beurre Brettoneau. Of Beurre 
Bance I have none this year ; Beurre Sterekmans was 
a very poor lot; and Glou Mortjeau is showing signs of 
immediate ripening. 
It must be the season, with its extraordinary long 
drought, which has brought about this early ripening. 
At least, that is my opinion, but I should very much 
like to know what is the opinion of some of my brother 
fruit growers. Perhaps someone will see this, and give 
the readers of The Gardening "World their ex¬ 
perience and opinions. 
Out of this question of peculiarity of ripening there 
arises the query so often put by outsiders, and even 
gardeners : Why do we have so many varieties, and 
^why need a gardener grow so many of them ? The 
answer obviously is, because a gardener who has a 
large establishment to provide for, must cover as much 
of the season as he can with as much fruit as possible, 
and, therefore, he grows many sorts in order that if 
one fails in any particular, another may succeed. 
Lieut. Col. Durnford’s admirable paper, read at the 
Harpenden Congress, very nearly answers my query as 
to early gathering of such Pears as Bon Chretien, but 
not quite. I have read it in The Gardening World, 
of Saturday, Dec. 17th, two or a three times with very 
great interest and pleasure.— N. H. P. 
-- 
THE BEST CONIFERS FOR 
PRESENT PLANTING. 
A reader of The Gardening World asks, “ What 
are the best coniferous trees for planting with a view to 
profit?” and as the busy planting season is now upon 
us, and many other amateurs may be in want of similar 
advice, we give the following list with perfect assurance, 
from long experience, that included in it are the most 
profitable trees for planting in the British Isles of any 
yet introduced. 
The Corsican Pine (Pinus Laricio) is, unquestion¬ 
ably, the best all-round tree of the Pines that has yet 
found its way into this country. As a rapid timber 
producer it has, perhaps, no equal, and, better still, the 
timber is of excellent quality ; while as a hardy tree, 
and for planting in wind-swept districts it can well 
hold its own with any other that has yet been introduced 
to this country. We have planted it with great success 
on the wind-tortured hill-side, at upwards of 700 ft. 
altitude, as well as where fully exposed to the saline 
blasts from the ocean ; and in both situations it has 
proved invaluable, whether as a shelter tree, for orna¬ 
mental effect, or the value of the timber it produces. 
The Corsican Pine has one fault, or rather supposed 
fault ; it transplants badly, but this we have found to 
be readily enough averted by careful and annual trans¬ 
planting whilst under nursery management. 
The Weymouth Pine (P. strobus). —This is a 
beautiful, fast-growing, perfectly hardy, and valuable 
timber-producing tree. Wherever planted in these isles 
it has given the utmost satisfaction, that is, when 
planted in suitable soil, which, however, has un¬ 
fortunately not always been'the case, for we have known 
whole woods of it formed in clayey retentive soil instead 
of that of a free and open,character, and in which it is 
always most at home. There are many magnificent 
specimens in various parts of the country, trees of fully 
90 ft. in height, and with fine clean poles of 8 ft. to 
9 ft. in girth at 1 yd. from the ground. In its native 
country the timber is highly valued, which will account 
for its almost total extermination, at least from 
accessible quarters. 
The Austrian Pine (P. austriaca) is, perhaps, 
the most valuable tree of the genus for planting as a 
shelter, though as a timber producer it can only be 
considered as second rate. For planting along the 
margins of exposed woodlands it is beyond doubt a 
most valuable Fir, and affords] by its dense shaggy 
foliage a great amount of shelter to other less hardy 
kinds of forest trees. The dark green colour of the 
foliage imparts a warmth] and furnished appearance 
to our woods in winter, and for this reason it has been 
largely used for massing or planting in clumps along 
the margins of deciduous woods and plantations. It 
is readily raised from seed, transplants with perfect 
success, even when of large size, is by no means partial 
to any particular soil, although it succeeds best in that 
of a calcareous description, and produces a timber that 
has been found well suited for withstanding the 
changes from damp to dryness. 
The Lofty or Bhotan Pine (P. excelsa) re¬ 
sembles the Weymouth in no small degree, but is not 
generally so well suited for planting in this country. 
It is highly ornamental, the light silvery green foliage 
and polished bark affording such a contrast to the dark 
green leaves and rough bark of some of the above- 
described species. Planted in rich soil and a shady 
sheltered situation it attains large dimensions, and 
forms a specimen of great beauty, particularly where 
ample room for the perfect development of its rather 
long and lithe branches is afforded.— A. D. IV. 
( To be continued.) 
-—-- 
BOWLING GREENS AND TENNIS 
COURTS. 
Literally, there is so little difference in the forma¬ 
tion of these two that they may be classed as one. The 
only exception is that bowling greens, when specially 
made, form an imperceptible rise from the centre to 
the sides of about 3 ins. to every twenty yards. 
Indeed, for tennis courts many players aver that a rise 
to the centre is preferable, giving a firmer spring to 
the toes, and likewise keeping the body more erect; 
still, neither is absolutely necessary, as a dead level 
cannot possibly be far wrong. 
In your correspondent’s question (p. 207) details are 
lacking as to what class of soils he has, whether heavy 
or light, what the sub-soil is, or whether the surface 
ground is sloping or otherwise ; these, therefore, will 
have to be combatted separately, and the one par¬ 
ticular case selected out. Size, again, depends on how 
many sets are likely to play at once, though I am not 
aware that there are any special dimensions for bowling 
greens, provided they are large enough. They then 
suit any player, each choosing his own length, which 
varies accordingly. About 50 yds. 'by 40 yds. would 
answer more than ordinary requirements. I have had 
to make several tennis courts ; the one made here six 
years ago answers for both purposes, and is 46 yds. 
by 34 yds., or, playing from corners, nearly 50 yds. 
Tools. 
Provided the civil engineer and his theodolite be 
not called in, the few extra tools required are simple 
and not expensive, namely, a 10 ft. straight edge 
(be sure that the edges are even and parallel with each 
other), a small spirit-level, and three horning rods, or 
X pieces of wood each 4 ft. long ; and should it be 
desirable to surround the green with a grass bank, a 
small battering rule with plum attached. I would 
have the bank so made that the slope could be mown 
with the machine. 
Levelling. 
In reality two levels should be taken ; the first, in 
order—as soon as the ground is marked out—to as¬ 
certain the difference in surface, and make calculations 
before commencing operations, for there is nothing so 
deceitful to the eye as level. Choose the highest 
corner and drive in a peg level with the surface. "With 
the straight-edge, spirit-level and stakes cut even on top, 
go round from corner to corner, or, taking a simpler 
way, stand a X piece on the above surface-peg, place 
the spirit-level on the cross-piece, and when true, run 
the line of sight against a measuring rod held up at 
each corner. Deduct 4 ft., the length of X piece, and 
the remainder will show the difference in level. These 
four corner levels having been found and stakes driven, 
the difference between them can be ascertained with the 
three horning rods. "Whatever the natural slope may be, 
calculations should be made accordingly, so that in 
excavating one end the soil may be used up in levelling 
the other. The next, or second level, will depend on 
this calculation ; a peg should be driven again into the 
face of the slope and gauged therefrom, dispensing with 
or driving the first one lower down. If it be desirable 
that the ground should rise from the centre outwards, 
the centre peg, or another by its side, can be driven 
downwards from 4 ins. to 6 ins., according to require¬ 
ments. 
Top Soil. 
If there is plenty of space it is best to wheel the soil 
outside the boundary-mark at first, so as to give less 
obstruction, though some prefer to work in relays of 
several yards together, wheeling the top soil off one 
relay on to the top of the general level, as in trenching; 
but this will depend upon circumstances. Greens 
made on the sides of slopes appear as terraces, and the 
artificial banks will require to be from 6 ins. to 12 ins. 
in height, and take from six to twelve months to settle 
down, according to depth and the nature of the season. 
Drainage is essential where heavy soils and subsoils 
abound. I am no advocate for cutting drains across 
lawns, as they show unsightly marks in summer. If 
the site be on a slope, that side which communicates 
with the slope above should have a drain, so as to 
break the water from the hill. In sunken pannels, 
after IS ins. of subsoil have been taken out, sufficient 
fall can be got. The drain should run round its four 
sides, and in both cases, whether the soil or subsoil be 
bad, a layer of 4 ins. of fine ashes, spread over the 
whole surface, well compressed, and from 12 ins. to 
IS ins. of soil on the top, will answer admirably. The 
omission of this process is apparent where soils and 
subsoils are naturally porous. 
Turfing. 
Assuming the soil has been replaced and is of medium 
quality, has been evenly dug, rolled, levelled, and 
raked, the next question is a very important one. 
If good turves cannot be got I would have patience and 
resort to sowing. There are many lawns completely 
spoiled by introducing sods full of rough grasses and 
weeds, in order that a season may be gained. The 
turves should be cut about 2 ins. thick (being very 
particular as to their evenness), 15 ins. wide, 3 ft. or 
4 ft. long, and rolled up, as such are better to manage 
