October SO, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
121 
RAMONDIA PYRENAICA. 
The plant under notice is hardier than is generally 
supposed if established in a proper situation. The 
accompanying illustration shows three plants with 
their natural tufted arrangement of the leaves and 
short flower stalks springing from amongst them, 
growing in the crevices of the rocks or artificial 
rockwork. In a state of nature the plants may be 
in a position facing the sun in various aspects, where 
they will thrive beautifully provided there is suffi¬ 
cient moisture for the roots amongst the stones. This 
would often be the case in a state of nature, and 
planters are sometimes induced to copy nature, for¬ 
getting that though their artificial and imitation 
rockwork may apparently be perfect in external 
appearance, that the moisture is generally lacking, 
and cannot well be applied by artificial means. For 
this reason the cultivator should select a half shady 
position, where the stones will naturally be more 
moist than where fully exposed to the mid-day or 
afternoon sun. The artificial rocks should preferably 
be of soft and porous sandstone, and the roots should 
have free access to the soil below. The typical 
purple flowered as well as the the white one may be 
grown under these conditions with surprising 
success. 
-- 
A PRETTY FERN WALL. 
Cut fronds of Adiantum are of use everywhere for 
cutting purposes, and it is often a serious considera¬ 
tion in many gardens to find sufficient plants to fur¬ 
nish the requisite quantity of material. Plants in pots 
are stripped of their very last frond and still the call 
is for more Fern, whilst the gardener 
is often at his wits’ end to obtain 
sufficient material to meet the 
demand without spoiling the shape 
of such plants as are intended for 
service as vase and table plants. A 
difficulty of this kind may often be 
overcome by the planting of vacant 
spaces of the inside walls of the 
houses with numbers of the never- 
too plentiful Adiantum. Many 
people have the idea that a great 
deal of heat is required to grow 
A. cuneatumto anything like perfec¬ 
tion,and refrain on that account from 
attempting its culture in the cooler 
houses. True, a little heat to start 
the crowns into growth is of the 
utmost service, nay, it is well nigh 
a necessity, but once started, a com¬ 
paratively low temperature will 
amply suffice. Large vigorous fronds 
of a splendid dark green colour and 
even more suitable for the making 
up of buttonholes, bouquets, etc , than those 
obtained from the warmer houses may be produced 
from houses having very little fire heat indeed. A 
very good example of a Fern wall may be seen in the 
Hon. F. W. D. Smith’s garden at Greenland:;, 
Henley-on-Thames. The wall in question is about 
ioo ft. in length and about 3 ft. in height. 
The necessary compost for the sustenance of the 
Ferns is enclosed and kept in place by mesh wire. 
Ferns like Adiantum cuneatum, A. concinnum, 
Davallia strigosa, Pteris serrulata and its crested 
variety, thrive exceedingly well, and the wall is a 
mass of verdure from top to bottom. Very 
little trouble is taken with it other than a liberal 
supply of water, and yet this wall is certainly one of 
the most noticeable and pleasing features of an up- 
to-date establishment, and one that is certainly 
deserving of extensive imitation. 
--S»- 
THE ABNORMAL CROP OF PEARS, 
1894 .* 
The cause of the unusual crop of Pears this season 
is not far to seek. Pears did not carry much fruit in 
1893, an< 3 the exceptionally dry and warm season 
ripened the wood thoroughly, while the autumnal 
rains plumped up the fruit buds and completed the 
laying up of organic forces, and the trees were pre¬ 
pared to do their best. They were somewhat early 
in bloom, and thus escaped the severe frosts that 
obtained while the Apples were in blossom, and as 
for the most part the blossoms are pendent, the 
stigmas were less exposed than Apples. Thinning 
* A Paper read at the Horticultural Club on the 9th inst. by 
Mr. G. Bunyard. 
had to be seen to very early, and many of our trees 
required nine out of ten of the fruit which had set 
to be removed at the first thinning, and twice since 
that they have been gone over. 
The very cold nights and wet days of May and 
June caused many to drop, as they were unable 
under these conditions to progress, and it is notice¬ 
able that the fruit near the ground was much 
affected by spot (Cladosporum detrichium pyrium). 
This fungus hardens the skins, and when the fruit 
swells it cracks and becomes useless. It is evidently 
risky to try and grow such Pears as Easter Beurre, 
Bergamot d’Esperen, Glou Morceau, Passe Colmar, 
Winter Nelis, Beurre Bachelier, and Beurre Diel 
while Beurre d’Amanlis, otherwise than on a wall 
even in our favoured part of England, has not been 
good this year, and on the other hand we attribute 
the clean handsome fruit of the late sorts, viz., 
Duchesse de Bordeaux, Doyenne d’Alencon, Marie 
Benoist, Beurre De Buisson, Josephine de Malines, 
Olivier de Serres, Passe Crasanne, Beurre d’Anjou, 
President d’Osmonville.and Brown Beurre, Baron de 
Mello, and Duchesse d’Angouleme among autumn 
Pears are unusually clean, thanks to the well-ripened 
wood of 1893 ; and it is evident we ought to thin 
out the branches of our pyramidal and espalier Pears 
in the open more than we do to get high-class fruit 
on these Pears, and we must not be led away 
by the fine examples of such a year as 1893, when 
the tender Pears were superb in quality if somewhat 
out of season, for the kinds which ripen after 
Christmas were mostly over by November. 
Taken as a whole, the season of 1894 has been 
unfavourable to the production of clean, handsome, 
large Pears, and it may probably be well to note 
those that have been good this cold, wet season. 
These were :—Beacon, a really nice fruit, led off the 
season. This is a remarkable bearer, and if not left 
on the tree too long is quite fair as regards flavour. 
Clapp’s Favourite has been large, clean, and hand¬ 
some. Williams’ Bon Chretien.—This has been 
large and good, but rather spotty, and in beauty 
cannot approach Dr, Jules Guyot, which is gaining 
favour rapidly as a market fruit. Petite Marguerite 
will be one of our best August and September Pears. 
It is of Bergamot shape, and very sweet and pleasant. 
Fondante d’Automne is not so large as usual, but as 
good in quality as ever. Pitmaston Duchess, very 
large and good. This monster Pear is much 
improved in flavour if it is gathered before it is 
quite fit and laid by. Beurre Hardy is grand this 
season, and the crop is the heaviest we have seen. 
The clean fruit of this variety in the shops from 
California in September were remarkable. Louise 
Bonne and Marie Louise are not so good as usual, 
the weather being too wet and cold for these sorts. 
Our favourite Pear, Emile d’Heyst, is finer than ever. 
It is a pity people do not plant this in place of Marie 
Louise; its pleasant acidity would be greatly appre¬ 
ciated. Conseiller de la Cour is the best crop ever 
seen, and the perfumed flavour of this kind will 
always make it welcome. It does well on the Quince 
in cold soils. Beurre Bose is not bearing well this 
year. An orchard tree has a quarter of a crop, but 
the fruit will be small. Beurre Jean Van Geert is 
very handsome, and a free bearer, not yet ripe. The 
red flush on the sunny side will be admired on the 
dessert table. Beurre Superfin is small, but a good 
crop. This may be called an improved Marie 
Louise. Doyenne Boussoch is very fine on pyramids, 
and quite clear and good. Doyenne du Comice, fruit 
rather irregular, owing to the season, but a good 
crop, and will yet grow to size. 
Among the new Pears which have been good are 
Marguerite Marrillat, a monster fruit, ripening in 
September, of delicious flavour, melting, and 
altogether Ai, and will take a high position. It 
bears freely and grows grandly. Beurre Mortillet is 
another very fine kind, ripening in September, of an 
unsightly shape, being, so to speak, like a Malta Fig, 
and generally one-sided, but superfine in flavour. 
Rivers' Conference is a grand bearer, and the long, 
russety fruit is most elegant, while the flavour is 
very fine; the habit of the tree is perfect, and it will 
certainly rank Ai. Beurre Fouqueray makes a fine 
cordon, and is giving us a little fruit, but not yet 
ripe to report on. It is hardier than Beurre 
Bachelier, and will probably supersede it. Triomphe 
de Vienne is again grand ; an enormous bearer, and 
of fine quality, juicy, and very handsome, being long 
and russety. Comte de Chambord is a fine bearer 
(on Pear only), of the Swan’s Egg type, very rich, 
and of Bergamot flavour. Beurre Baltet Pere is 
again grand ; it ranks Ai for a close-growing kind, 
and is large, juicy, and good. Fandante de 
Thirriott has enormous crop of clean fruit ; a grand, 
little known Pear for November. It should be borne 
in mind that my remarks refer to Pears quite in the 
open — i.e., not on walls or fences, Or under glass 
culture, as for all practical purposes this is the 
largest culture. Another reliable Pear for general 
culture is Belle Julie, small, but a 
great bearer, and of first-class 
flavour. Stewing Pears are all good, 
but the very large sorts—Grosse 
Calebasse, King Edward, General 
Todleben, Beurre Clairgeau—are 
scarcely so big as usual. 
A host of better-known Pears has 
necessarily been passed over, but it 
is probable that we may be years 
before we see fruit of such a large 
collection. About 200 kinds have 
fruited this year, and we shall be able 
to gain much useful information 
when they have all been tested. We 
feel no doubt that, good as the 
1894 cro P is. we owe it more to the 
sun of 1893 than to any weather 
we have had this year. We are 
fruiting several novelties which may 
be noticed hereafter, but as a general 
rule planters cannot do better than 
stick to the varieties which are now 
named, as if good in a cold, sunless 
and wet season, they will be grand when old father 
Sol is more propitious. For the poet truly says of 
him : — 
“ Hail ! Life-giving soul of creation 
* * * * 
Source of Fertility, Diffuser of Radiance.” 
* * * * 
As may be expected the Pears on the water-loving 
Quince stock have come to the front this year, while 
the same kinds on Pear show many spotted leaves, 
but on both stocks they appear to have made ample 
provision for next season's fruit. 
A word as to Orchard Pears. Generally the crop 
has been enormous, and low prices have ruled. We 
sold fifty to sixty bushels of Hessel on the trees for 
twenty-five shillings ; for once the town dwellers will 
have cheap Pears, and wise growers will severely thin 
the boughs of their trees as soon as picked, or they 
will not get a return for many years after the trees 
have endured such a strain. 
Before concluding this skeleton paper our hearers 
may be as surprised as the reader to learn that in an 
old book (1650) entitled “ The Spirituall Use of a 
Garden of Fruit Trees,” the writer recommends 
grafting the Quince on the Pear stock for standards ; 
while in another ancient book (1757) ” Eden, or a 
compleat book of Gardening, by John Hill,” p. 514, 
of which we possess a complete folio copy, the author 
states that, “ The Quince stock agrees very well with 
Pears, and should be chosen for those kinds which 
are melting.” He also recommends it for espaliers 
and bushes, and this agrees with our practice to-day, 
as the gritty and crisp Pears are not so satisfactory 
on the Quince stock. The practice of working Pears 
on the Quince would therefore appear to be more 
ancient than is generally supposed. 
