December 5, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
215 
Hotbs. 
Pear Deux Sceurs. 
The produce of young trees of this Pear is capable 
of being grown to large size, but on old pyramids 
the fruits are considerably reduced, though equally 
good in quality. They are pyriform, thickest j ust below 
the apex and suddenly contracted not far from the 
stalk. The skin is very smooth, light green and 
glossy, finely speckled with russet. When in good 
usable form, the flesh is firm, white, very juicy, 
sweet, and so finely gritty as hardly to be percep¬ 
tible. The tree may be grown as a pyramid either 
on the Pear or Quince stock, but larger fruits are ob¬ 
tained perhaps from oblique or upright cordons. It 
bears well as a rule and is in condition about the end 
of October. The trees at Devonhurst, Chiswick, 
bore well this season, and the fruits were up to the 
standard in quality. The name means two sisters, 
and took its rise from the original tree having 
cropped up in the garden of two sisters, the Misses 
Knoop, at Malines. 
Pear Doyenne du Comice. 
The fruit of this Pear is large, obovate, very thick 
at the apical end and suddenly contracted towards 
the stalk, and slightly uneven or lumpy on the sur¬ 
face. The skin is pale lemon-yellow slightly flushed 
with green, and closely speckled all over with russety 
spots, especially on the exposed side, which some¬ 
times assumes a red colour of variable brightness. 
The upper portion around the eye and also that 
around the stalk are generally rough or scurvy and 
covered with broad patches of pale brown russet. 
The eye is open and set in a moderately deep cavity, 
and the stalk is also set in a small cavity or equally 
often obliquely to the rest of the fruit. The flesh is 
white, very juicy, rich and melting, with an aromatic 
flavour, and is more or less gritty around the small 
core. Most cultivators are agreed that this is one of 
the most delicious and best Pears cultivated, ripening 
in October and lasting through November or 
even longer. The tree has a healthy constitution and 
bears well every year either as a pyramid, bush, 
standard, or wall tree, but in the latter state it some¬ 
times fails to give the same satisfaction as when 
grown in either of the three other forms. The fruit 
is by some recommended to be gathered early and in 
a dry condition so as to get the best results. 
Pear Marie Louise. 
It is to be regretted that this variety is not a more 
certain cropper, seeing that the fruit is so excellent 
for dessert purposes during the months of October 
and November. The size and shape of the fruit 
varies remarkably according to the way in which it 
is grown. The best results as far as flavour is con¬ 
cerned are obtained from standards or bushes in the 
open ; fruits obtained from trees on a wall are larger, 
but they lose considerably in quality. The larger 
fruits are generally oblong, and nearly of equal width 
throughout, but when small they are more or less 
regularly pear-shaped. The skin is pale yellow when 
ripe and more or less suffused with a thin russet. 
The white flesh is delicate and buttery, with a re¬ 
markable sweetness which is capable of being in¬ 
creased considerably in fine seasons, and according 
as the tree is grown as a bush or standard in prefer¬ 
ence to a wall specimen. 
Apple Peasgood’s Nonesuch. 
Many Apples vary considerably in colour even in 
localities not far distant from one another. It is 
generally considered that Apples colour badly 
within the metropolitan area as well as in the sub- 
burbs which suffer from the smoky atmosphere. 
The difference in colour, however, is by no means 
universal. Even in outlying districts far removed 
from the influence of London smoke, Peasgood's 
Nonesuch is often shown almost green in the early 
autumn months, while even later on it may be any¬ 
thing but brightly coloured. The difference must be 
accounted for not only with regard to a smoky 
atmosphere and consequent diminution of light, but 
to the soil of the garden, the aspect on which the 
tree is grown, and to the proper thinning of the 
branches and the pushing aside of the leaves so that 
the fruit may enjoy the benefit of what light is to be 
had. The fruit is of the largest size, somewhat 
wider than deep, with a regularly rounded basin or 
cavity in which the closed eye is set. The skin at 
first is green, changing to yellow by the month of 
ovember, and suffused with red on the exposed side 
and streaked with different shades of red. The 
fruits now in the fruit room at Templeton House, 
Roehampton, are large and richly coloured over the 
greater part of the surface. The flesh is pale yellow, 
tender and juicy, and possessed of a certain amount 
of acidity which proves agfleeable to those who like 
Apples of that class. It may be used either for 
culinary or dessert purposes, and remains in perfect 
condition till Christmas at least. Being naturally a 
large Apple a large number cannot be expected from 
small trees; but the best samples are produced on 
dwarf trees on the Paradise stock. 
Apple Annie Elizabeth. 
When in season this is appreciated by those who 
like firm and brisk Apples; but this very firmness 
makes it a valuable culinary Apple on account of its 
long keeping properties. The flesh furthermore is 
white, tender in texture, and agreeably flavoured. It 
was raised by Messrs. Harrison & Sons, of Leicester, 
and is gradually finding its way into gardens by 
reason of its long keeping properties. 
Apple Landsberger Reinette. 
The fruit of this variety is above the medium size, 
conical, and slightly five-angled near the apex. The 
smooth, shining skin is clear yellow, flushed with red 
on the exposed side, and occasionally more or less 
streaked with crimson. The whole surface is also 
thinly speckled with minute russety markings, occa¬ 
sionally with a slender white line surrounding the 
russet. The flesh is pale yellowish-white, tender and 
sweet, with a slight acidity. The Apple is of such a 
character that it may be used either for culinary or 
dessert purposes. Its relative firmness enables it to 
keep till Christmas, while it is fit for use in October. 
The tree is reputed to bear heavily, and in this res¬ 
pect it upheld its character at Devonhurst, Chiswick, 
during the past season. The quality is excellent, and 
there is no reason why it should not be more exten¬ 
sively used in private establishments for the sake of 
the variety which it would afford. 
French Beans. 
Though the past season in the North has been a 
period of extremes of weather, many vegetables have 
been of over the average quality, and so have been 
some flowering plants, especially Pansies, Antirrhi¬ 
nums, Pentstemons, and Dahlias. The long period 
of dry weather accompanied by cold, easterly wdnds 
between early March and July, and the damp and 
sunless autumn, raised many difficulties in the way 
of cultivators. The growing of Kidney Beans seemed 
at one time to end in complete failure, but by the 
genial weather in July many things rapidly improved, 
and some three successions of French Beans rapidly 
came into bearing, and were the best we have had 
here for some years. Three kinds were new to us ; 
they were sent for trial, and, though all were good, 
one out-distanced the others as a dwarf, very green, 
and free-bearing sort. It is named ■* Dwarf Green,” 
and its character is strictly in accordance with its 
name. Ne Plus Ultra, Williams' Early, and Negro 
were side by side with this Dwarf Green, but were 
not so serviceable as it. Ne Plus Ultra has for some 
years been our favourite for forcing in pots and for 
planting out in heated pits. French Beans often fail 
in the North, but it is because they are not protected 
from easterly and northerly winds.— Stirling. 
About Parsley, 
It may not be necessary to remind cultivators, except 
young beginners, that it is a judicious practice to put 
a quantity of Parsley roots into boxes, frames, or 
where they can in any other way be protected during 
a period of severe weather. Many were caught 
napping last year, and their supply of Parsley was 
abruptly cut short. We had to lift the greater por¬ 
tion of our roots and force them in heat to meet the 
demand. While we have large breadths at the present 
time, a quantity of roots have been lifted, packed 
closely into boxes of soil, which can be lifted under 
cover in an emergency ; Pea trainers are fixed over a 
breadth of fine Parsley, on which mats can be hur¬ 
riedly thrown if snow should come on suddenly. 
When gross leaves have been removed and a short, 
stiff growth encouraged, there is a capital oppor¬ 
tunity of meeting the demands of the culinary de¬ 
partment should the weather be ever so severe. Many 
losses are sustained by sowing Parsley on rich, highly 
manured land, and allowing the gross leaves to re¬ 
main on late in the season, crowded till they are in a 
state of decay. Where planting is practised and the 
ground firm and not rich, good Parsley is generally 
had in abundance. A selection (Drummond’s) which 
we sowed about twenty months ago and was trans¬ 
planted on firm ground, is at present the finest we 
ever had —Stirling. 
Gardening Miscellany. 
IMPATIENS FLACCIDA. 
Although this has never attained the popularity of 
I. Sultani, yet it merits cultivation for its larger 
flowers, which are of an entirely different shade of 
colour, namely, warm rosy-purple with a crimson 
purple blotch at the base of the two lateral petals. 
The flowers are slightly less flattened than those of I 
Sultani, and the spreading, branching habit of the 
plant is entirely different. Young plants are the 
most easily accommodated on account of the space oc¬ 
cupied by the spreading character of the branches ; 
they can also be potted on late in the autumn, 
thereby ensuring a flowering condition till late 
in autumn, or even into winter. Being a 
native of the Mountains of Malabar and Ceylon, it 
usually gets stove treatment, and such may be 
necessary to ensure flowering in winter, but during 
the summer months it may be grown in an interme¬ 
diate house, or even a greenhouse. It is readily 
propagated from cuttings in the same way as other 
soft wooded stove plants. The name I. platypetala 
is usually applied to it in gardens, and the white 
variety is called I. p. alba. 
ARISTOLOC HIA ELEGANS 
The flowers of this species are of very moderate 
dimensions compared with those of A. gigas and A. 
Goldieana, but the plant has become far more popu¬ 
lar in gardens generally, because more manageable, 
more regular aad certain in its flowering. The 
dimensions of the plant also enable it to be grown 
in relatively small space ; for those who cannot ac¬ 
commodate it on a pillar or rafter of the stove can 
grow it in a pot, training it round some stakes or on 
trelliswork. The basal portion of the tube is pale 
greenish white, and inflated, while it is so bent in the 
middle that the back of the lamina lies against the 
tube. The lamina is the most ornamental part, and 
is about 3 in. long, nearly as broad across the base, 
slightly concave or cupshaped, deep purple, vari¬ 
ously marbled with white and deepening to crimson 
or black around the contracted mouth. The plant 
flowers and fruits freely with Mr. H. Dennison, gar¬ 
dener to T. Gledstanes, Esq., Acton. 
BEGONIA LOUIS VALORSIS. 
This is one of the numerous hybrids or garden 
varieties of the B. rex, or Elephant's Ear type, but 
has much smoother leaves than those immediately 
derived from B. rex. The upper surface is of a dark 
bronzy olive, overlaid or heavily shaded with purple, 
rendering it very dark, while the central portion is 
of a bright shining purple, distributed in broad 
irregular patches. A freak has occurred amongst the 
plants at Homefield, Ealing, by the union of two 
leaves along their edges in the lower third of their 
length. The upper two-thirds of one leaf diverge at 
right angles to those of the other, so that the com¬ 
bination of the two gives the whole the appearance of 
the outspread wings (so termed) of a bat in flight. 
The petioles of the two leaves are completely united 
throughout their length. 
AGAPANTHUS UMBELLATUS. 
Anyone fond of this plant, and having specimens in 
pots or tubs, should learn a lesson from last season, 
and take care that in housing their plants for the 
winter the roots are weH protected from frost. Last 
winter I in common with others who could not give 
these plants the advantage of artificial heat during 
the prevalence of severe frost had their plants killed 
outright through the frost acting upon the roots. 
In this way I, to my great sorrow, lost from six to 
ten large specimens in pots sixteen inches in diame¬ 
ter. They were placed in a cold house, but the 
frost reached them, and completely destroyed them. 
I know of no better plant an amateur can grow for 
the decoration of his forecourt garden in summer, 
and it is to spare further loss that I advise all who 
have to winter this fine plant in a cold house, to 
take care the pots are well protected. We may not 
have a severe winter like that of 1890-91, but it is 
well to be on the safe side, we do not know what 
weather is in store for us.— R. D. 
