October 26, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
691 
Sweet Peas. 
Work for October. 
Pear== — 
Doyenne du Cornice. 
The accompanying illustration shows 
three fruits of the above variety, although 
rather on a reduced scale. It is not a 
showy fruit at any time, but attains a 
large size and the greenish-yellow skin 
is flushed and more or less speckled with 
brown russet. It is not very particularly 
attractive, but the quality is of the best. 
Indeed, this is not only the best flavoured 
of British grown Pears, but it is doubtful 
if anv better exists anywhere. It comes 
into season during October and Novem¬ 
ber when the flesh is melting, juicy, and 
particularly agreeable to the palate. 
The tree may be grown in a variety of 
ways—as a pyramid in the open either on 
the Pear stock or on the Quince, or 
trained as a wall tree or single or double 
cordon. It is also suitable for culti¬ 
vation in the form of small trees in the 
orchard house, either planted out or in 
pots. When trained on a wall or grown 
under glass, whether in the pyramid or 
cordon form, it should be grafted on the 
Quince stock, as this restrains its vigour, 
inclining it to fruit at an earlier age 
and therefore suitable for such a pur¬ 
pose. For small gardens the tree should 
. also be on the Quince stock, as then this 
growth can be limited according to the 
space at command. 
-- 
Vitis leeoides. 
The leaves of this Vine consist of three 
leaflets, the terminal one being oblong, 
the lateral ones ovate, shining above and 
tinted with violet-purple beneath. It 
adds one more to the list of decorative 
Vines introduced by Messrs. J. \ eitch 
and Sons, Chelsea”, who received an 
Award of Merit for it from the R.H.S. on 
October 1st. 
Trenching. 
In continuation of last month’s remarks 
about preparing the soil, it might be said 
that where it is not convenient to trench 
the whole of the ground in one year, a 
portion can be thus prepared, and another 
portion operated upon the next year. In 
some cases it may be found convenient to 
trench about a fourth part each year, each 
part being thus trenched once in every four 
years. In the other three years, of course, 
the ground must be dug in the ordinary 
manner. 
Autumn Sowing in Pots. 
Where it is found impossible to prepare 
the soil early enough for autumn sowing, 
or where the soil is too wet for this method 
of culture, seeds may be sown in the 
autumn in pots. Mr. Breadmore, who ex¬ 
hibits flowers that are unbeaten in the 
south of England, adopts this method, 
and I understand that Mr. Stevenson, this 
year's winner of the Eckford Cup, has 
also used it very successfully. The great 
point to remember is not to coddle the 
plants. Kept in cold frames, they should 
receive abundance of fresh air. The pre¬ 
sent month is suitable for sowing. 
To Flower under Glass. 
Now, also, seeds can be sown for early 
flowering under glass. They can be 
grown either in pots or in a border under 
glass, if such be available. There are 
now many Sweet Peas grown under glass 
for the early market, and this industry 
has, during recent years, made rapid 
growth. 
Seeds not Coming True. 
There are so many complaints about 
Sweet Pea seeds not coming true that 
some explanation of the causes should 
prove interesting to all. 
In the first place, the seeds may acci¬ 
dentally, perhaps, get mixed. This, I 
should say, has undoubtedly been the 
experience of Mr. A. Grigor, who, in a 
recent letter to the Editor, spoke of Queen 
Alexandra and Henry Eckford coming 
mixed. The same explanation can be 
given of the fact that his Frank Dolby 
was the same as Lady G. Hamilton, and 
Beatrice Whaley (? Miss B. Vhiley, a 
variety resembling Gorgeous) was the 
same as Helen Lewis. 
Spoilt by “ Rogues.” 
Sometimes the seeds do not come true 
because they have not been properly 
rogued, i.e., the grower has neglected, 
during the flowering season, to go round 
and pull out all plants that were not com¬ 
ing true to name. Owing to various 
causes there are always some rogues in 
the rows, and, if left, they seed and spoil 
the sample. 
Varieties not “ Fixed.” 
The most important cause of seeds not 
coming true, however; is that the variety 
is not fixed, i.e., that the seeds fail to 
produce plants identical with those from 
which they have been saved. As an ex¬ 
ample of unfixity, mention might be made 
of seeds of Helen Lewis saved in 1905 
from plants of the true type. In 1906 
about 30 per cent, came true, and in 1907, 
seeds from the true type gave about 50 
per cent. It might be added that there 
are stocks of Helen Lewis which are prac- 
ticallv fixed. 
t 
Pear Doyenne du Comice. 
