September 29, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
69 
PEARS IN 1894. 
A bountiful crop of Pears is the general experience 
this year. The quantity is all that could be desired. 
Somewhat of a doubtful blessing however, is this 
because of that quantity, inasmuch as, being so large 
a crop in every place the market price is kept down, 
and though the consumer may get a slight benefit, 
the producer, who goes to market, does not reap so 
great a financial benefit. To the private grower the 
benefit is a very doubtful one indeed as, no matter 
what the quantity of his crop may be, the quality is 
of prime importance, seeing that connoiseurs in Pears 
and epicures in taste, sit in judgment on what he 
sends in to table every day. 
Personally, I could have done with a smaller crop, 
with a higher quality in the produce. So far in the 
season, what with the large quantity, and the sunless 
state of the weather of the present ripening season, 
I find Pears singularly deficient in flavour, and the 
flesh more gritty than usual. Even in such buttery 
Pears as Williams’ Bon Chretien. Doyenne d’Ete 
and Green Chisels. Crawford and Windsors we do 
not expect to find much flavour in, and being very 
fugitive of condition, all being gathered, eaten or 
rotten in the space of a week or two, one does not 
care very much about it, but with Jargonelles, 
Clapps’ Favourites and Williams’Bon Chretien we do 
expect to get the respective merits of these varieties. 
Whatever may be the experience of other growers I 
do not as yet know, not having been able to compare 
notes with my neighbours and professional brethren 
generally, but, in my own case, none of these varie¬ 
ties are up to their normal standard of butteriness and 
flavour, and notably, Williams’ Bon Chretien, has 
not that peculiar bouquet which is one of its strongest 
claims to notice with Pear lovers. 
It is a Pear much desired by the family I cater for, 
and specially desired for this aromatic quality, and I 
am met with the inquiry, " How is it that the 
Williams’s are not so good this year ? ” My expla¬ 
nation is the large quantity and the want of sun¬ 
shine, but I am very doubtful whether my explana¬ 
tion is received as substantially correct. Perhaps 
other Pear growers will communicate their ex¬ 
periences, and help either to ratify my conclusions 
or suggest different ones. The season is so far 
advanced now that we cannot expect a very large 
measure of sunshine, but it is hoped that we may 
have rather more than during the last week or ten 
days. I am writing on the evening of the 20th 
September, and, here in the Midlands, we have 
hardly seen the sun on some past days. 
We have housed Beurre d'Amanlis this week with 
Autumn Nelis, and are hoping that their eating 
merits may come out stronger than in their earlier 
brethren. We shall then go on to Louise bonne de 
Jersey. Hessels Fondante d’Automne, Beurre 
Superfin, Fondante de Charneuses, Marchal de la 
Cour, Doyenne Boussouch, Marie Louise, Brown 
Beurre, Comte de Lamy, Doyenne du Comice, and 
others, leaving Easter Beurre, Josephine de Malines, 
Winter Nells, Ne Plus Meuris, General Todleben, 
and others as late as we can. If one meteorologist 
is right, however, we shall have to keep a sharp eye 
on the early October varieties, and secure them 
before the “ Boisterous weather with gales and 
perhaps snow in the first ten days ” which he pre¬ 
dicts sends them down to the ground to their 
damage and perhaps destruction. Forewarned is 
forearmed we know, but then we also know that 
weather prophets are not infallible, and we may 
have a St. Luke’s summer yet.—X. 
-«*«- 
PRIMULA OBCONICA. 
This little plant has certainly jumped (if I may so 
phrase it) into popularity with remarkable celerity, 
for it was only introduced into England from Central 
China in 1882. Thus barely twelve years an 
acquaintance it has yet been a well known occupant 
of most of our gardens for fully half that time. 
This is not greatly to be wondered at when we 
consider what a beautiful and easily contented little 
plant it is. It has absolutely no pride about it (if a 
plant can be said to have any pride at all), and will 
grow as well, and bloom as freely, in the window of 
the cottager, or in the small greenhouse of the 
amateur, as it will in the expensive glass erections 
of the landed proprietor. 
It may be propagated very readily in the spring 
by division of the old plants, or from seed. I prefer 
the latter method, as one likely to yield the best 
results. A pinch of seed sprinkled upon a well- 
drained pan filled with fine soil in April will 
germinate very readily in a warm greenhouse tem¬ 
perature-provided the seed be not sown too deeply. 
This is often the real cause of failure with those 
who fail to raise plants from seed. The cause of 
failure is often attributed to bad seed, or lack of a 
sufficiently high temperature, when too deep sowing 
is the true reason for non-success. As soon as the 
seedlings are sufficiently large to handle, they should 
be pricked off into pans filled with compost of a light 
character. A few weeks will suffice for them to 
make four or five strong leaves. Then pot them off 
singly into thumbs. A 5 in. or 6 in. pot will be quite 
large enough to flower them in. 
Of course, if it is desired to have very large 
specimens, larger pots may be used, but I would not 
advise their adoption as the smaller sizes cause the 
plants to throw more flowers in proportion to the 
room they occupy, than do the larger ones. Large 
pots mean increased vigour of growth but this is 
sometimes obtained at the expense of the flowers. 
Batches of P. obconica may be had in bloom at any 
time between October and April, if required, by 
pinching out the flowers of those which are intended 
for late blooming. Where cut flowers are needed 
they are of inestimable value, either for the filling of 
vases, or the making of wreaths and bouquets.— A. 
-- 
COTTAGERS’ FLOWER SHOWS. 
There are happily numerous instances now in which 
these have been successfully worked for some years, 
their working being attended with both educational 
and social advantages of high value. The mingling 
together of all classes tends to break down that 
social exclusiveness which is attended with the most 
pernicious results, and is more prevalent in villages 
and small communities than elsewhere. There is a 
larger amount of work to be done in connection with 
a society of this kind than strangers to the working 
of them would suppose, and those who undertake 
their management must be prepared to give both 
time and labour with no stinted hand, and without 
fee or reward other than the pleasure which working 
for a good cause brings with it. 
A committee of practical men if new to the work 
will soon be able to start a society of the kind pro¬ 
viding they have the assistance and countenance of 
the leading residents in the district. This is almost 
a necessity, because they must generally be depen¬ 
dent upon some one or other of them for a place to 
hold their annual show in, and on their generosity 
in affording the necessary time to their employes to 
stage their products as well as for pecuniary 
assistance in providing the prize money and paying 
the expenses attendant on the working of the society. 
All members should pay a small annual subscription, 
if only the modest sum of sixpence, which proved 
enough in one society I was connected with, and in 
return for which a free pass was given on the show 
day. All would-be exhibitors not being members had 
to pay for admission in addition to the entrance fee. 
We spread our operations over several parishes, 
and by so doing made a larger show, but the actual 
working of the society has long led me to the con¬ 
clusion that more good would be accomplished if 
the operations of such a society were confined to its 
own parish or district, because some are debarred 
from showing on account of distance, and the wide 
area covered includes within it diversities of soil and 
situation which often makes the contest for prizes a 
very unequal one. The labouring men after a year 
or two find this out and drop their membership, 
seeing the chances are so much against them in 
competing with those who have superior advantages. 
I well know that this cannot be entirely avoided, but 
it occurs to me that if the working of societies of 
this kind were confined to one district or parish, the 
friction which is often experienced under-oiher con¬ 
ditions would be considerably reduced and a larger 
proportion of the population would be induced to 
take their share in helping to make the society a 
success from a feeling of friendly rivalry with their 
immediate neighbours and through being on a more 
equal footing. 
This would lead also to the encouragement of 
improved varieties in both fruit, flowers, and vege¬ 
tables, and better methods of cultivation than some¬ 
times prevail. At the same time we must confess to 
having seen instances at some of these shows of very 
superior cultivation, but the staging and putting up 
being often at fault, it would be an educational 
advantage to make and enforce a rule that every 
exhibit should be named. The interest of these meet¬ 
ings and also the good done by them would be much 
enhanced, too, if a short lecture by a competent lady 
or gentleman on some subject connected with horti¬ 
culture or agriculture, and the awards of the local 
examination in connection with the technical classes 
in many instances now carried on under the auspices 
of the County Councils could be announced on the 
same day. This, combined with the music and 
other attractions generally provided, would render 
the show day a time of recreation, instruction, and 
enjoyment.— IV. B. G. 
--- 
ABOUT POTATOS. 
As might well be expected from the past unfavour¬ 
able season, the potato crop in most districts is 
anything but a satisfactory one. In some parts the 
greater number of the tubers are affected and those 
left, apparently uninjured, are to say the least of it, 
of very doubtful quality. In seasons of this kind it 
is an imperative necessity, that those Potatos stored 
for winter supply should be placed where they can be 
easily looked over. This is an operation of the 
greatest importance and one that should frequently 
be performed. For many of the tubers that appear to 
be perfectly sound are in reality affected, and will 
be sure to go rotten in the course of a few weeks. 
The practice that obtains amongst so many people, 
of storing the tubers for winter use in pits or graves 
in the open ground is certainly not the best one, as a 
single bad tuber at the bottom of the heap will in a 
short time do an immense amount of damage. 
Where practicable, the tubers should be thinly 
spread over the floor of a dark cellar, or shed, if 
there is no room for them on the store-house shelves. 
All diseased Potatos should be burnt. The haulms 
of those plants affected by the destroyer should also 
be removed and burnt. How often one sees the 
haulms lying carelessly scattered over the ground 
after the crop has been lifted. This is a method of 
procedure that is much to be deprecated being, as 
it is, one of the most fruitful causes of the propaga¬ 
tion of the fungus. I suppose it is a matter of 
great question as to whether the disease will ever be 
successfully combated, although we hear a great 
deal of talk about the supposed wonderful efficacy of 
certain methods of treatment by spraying with 
chemicals. Still I think a great deal might be done 
towards that much-to-be-desired consummation, by 
the systematic cultivation of varieties that are more 
or less disease resisting. Certain it is there are sorts 
in cultivation to-day that are not nearly so subject to 
infection as are others. 
I consider it is as important a qualification for any 
sort to possess, that it is not liable to infection, as it 
is for it to be a heavy cropper. For, it might be 
asked, of what use is it for any given variety to bear 
a heavy crop of tubers if they can only be harvested 
in good condition during exceptionally favourable 
seasons. Yesterday I saw a fine crcp of a Potato, 
the cultivation of which is a step in the right 
direction. The sort in question was Chancellor. 
This is a heavy cropper, and the tubers are well¬ 
shaped, and of excellent flavour and appearance 
when cooked. It appears to be especially suitable 
for planting on gravelly soil. The most striking 
feature presented by the patch I saw was that, whilst 
other sorts which were growing in the same field 
with it were very badly affected (scarcely worth the 
digging in fact), Chancellor was comparatively free 
from infection, the number of diseased tubers being 
surprisingly small. To the cottager, who can ill 
afford to devote a great part of his little garden to 
the growing of Potatos, only to have the crop ruined 
by the ravages of disease, a Potato like Chancellor 
will be sure to give satisfaction, and is well worth a 
trial.— Solatium. 
—-- 
SWEET PEA EMILY HENDERSON. 
As far as we have seen this variety in a growing 
state it seems to merit all the encomiums that have 
been heaped upon it. The stems grow taller, the 
flowers are much larger than those ofQueen of England, 
pure white,and frequentlyproduced three together on a 
stalk, so that it possesses to a considerable degree the 
modern requisite of producing three instead of two 
flowers on a raceme. Sweet Peas generally in some 
gardens have taken a fresh lease of growth as it were 
recently, and are flowering quite freely, as we noted 
the other day in the garden of J. €. Stogdon, Esq , 
Inglenook, Bellaggio. 
