February  5,  "IGCS. 
JOURNAL  OF  IWRTICULTUflE  AND  COT /'A  ’F,  G ARDEN FR. 
125 
Pear  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey 
This  favourite  early  dessert 
Pear  requires  no  recommenda¬ 
tions  from  us.  It  is  a  finely 
flavoured  Pear,  ripe  in  October, 
bearing  usually  very  abundant 
crops  (as  Pears  yield),  and  is  a 
variety  recommendable  for 
market  culture,  it  succeeding  as 
a  pyramid  on  the  Quince.  But 
on  any  form  it  is  reliable,  and 
those  vho  would  adopt  cordon 
Pears,  so  ably  advocated  in  our 
recent  issues  by  Mr.  A.  Petts, 
would  do  well  to  make  Louise 
Bonne  of  Jersey  one  of  their 
first  half-dozen  varieties.  It  is 
a  good  Pear  for  pot  culture. 
Dr.  Hogg  says :  “  This  valu¬ 
able  Pear  was  raised  at  Av- 
ranches  about  the  year  1788,  by 
M.  Longueval,  who  at  first 
named  it  simple  “  Louise  ”  ;  but 
subsequently  added  Bonne,  and 
it  thenceforth  became  known  as 
“  Bonne  Louise  d’Avranches.” 
Some  years  ago  (and  possibly 
still)  the  original  tree  was  in  ex¬ 
istence  in  the  garden  where  it 
was  raised.” 
The  flesh  is  white,  buttery, 
and  melting,  with  a  rich  sugary 
and  brisk  vinous  flavour.  Our 
illustration  of  two  fruits  on  one 
shoot  is  from  a  photograph  by 
Mr.  Charles  Jones,  Ote  Hall, 
Burgess  Hill,  Sussex. 
Pear,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey. 
Manchester  Botanical. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Royal  Botanical 
and  Horticultural  Society  of  Manchester  and  the  Northern 
Counties  was  held  recently  in  the  Lord  Mayor’s  Parlour  at  the 
Town  Hall.  The  Lord  Mayor  (Mr.  J.  Royle)  presided.  There  was 
only  a  small  attendance.  The  Lord  Mayor  formally  moved  the 
adoption  of  the  annual  report,  which  has  been  published  in  the 
“Manchester  Guardian,”  and  which  showed  -a  deficit  of 
£806  9s.  8d.  on  the  year’s  working,  increa.sing  the  overdraft  at  the 
bank  tO'  £8,196  17s.  5d.  Mr.  Alderman  Gibson  said  the  weather 
had  been  very  much  against  the  success  of  the  shows  held  during 
the  past  year.  The  receipts  at  the  gates  showed  a  falling  off  of 
about  £500  as  compared  with  the  next  previous  year. 
After  discussion  the  report  was  adopted,  the  oSicers  were 
elected,  and  votes  of  thanks  were  passed. 
Chester  Paxton:  Flower  Show. 
The  usual  fortnightly  meeting  was  held  in  the  Gro^svenor 
Museum  on  Saturday,  under  the  chairmanship  of  Mr.  N.  F. 
Barnes,  Eaton  Gardens.  Tlie  evening  was  devoted  to  a  discussion 
on  “  How  to  Improve  Our  Exhibitions.”  Mr.  G.  P.  Miln,  the 
hon.  sec.  of  the  society,  in  introducing  the  subject,  gave  a  short 
epitome  of  the  educationah  work  of  the  society,  and  traced  the 
progress  of  its  exhibitions  from  the  time  when  they  were  first 
instituted  in  the  Museum  some  sixteen  years  ago.  Although  they 
■were  at  that  time  of  a  non-competitive  character,  they  neverthe¬ 
less  were  very  successful,  and  served  a  good  purpose  in  promoting 
the  cultui'e  of  hardy  fruits  throughout  Cheshire  and  Noi'th  Wales. 
He  pointed  out  that  after  a  few  years  th'ey  outgrew  the  avail¬ 
able  space  at  the  Museum,  the  Town  Hall  having  sincei  been 
granted  for  this  purpose.  The  popularity  which  the  society  had 
attained  was,  he  contended,  largely  due  to  the  beautiful  exhibits 
of  Chrysanthemums  which  liad  been  so  much  admired  at  thc'  ex¬ 
hibitions  of  late  years.  The  table  decorations  done  by  ladies  had 
also,  he  said,  contributed  to  this  popularity,  as  well  as  the  clas.ses 
for  Graiies,  bottled  fruits,  &c. 
Mr.  Miln  pleaded  for  greater  attention  to  be  given  to  the 
classes  for  single  and  naturally-grown  Chrysanthemums,  and 
strongly  advised  doing  away  with  the  old-fashioned  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  boxes  in  favour  of  vases,  in  which  the  blooms  could  be 
seen  to  much  better  advantage.  In  conclusion,  he  also  strongly 
urged  the  claims  of  hardy-grown  fruits,  and  hoped  these  would 
never  be  neglected  at  tlie  expen.se  of  the  other  classes.  An 
interesting  discussion  followed,  in  which  the  chairman,  Mr.  John 
Weaver,  Mr.  Robert  Wakefield,  and  Mr.  Stubbs  "took  part. 
Several  improvements  were  sugge.sted,  all  of  which  will  be  taken 
into  consideration  by  the  committee  when  preparing  the  prize 
schedule  of  the  exhibition  for  the  present  year.  The  meeting 
closed  with  the  customary  vote  of  thanks. 
[pswicli  Mutaal  Improvement. 
This  flourishing  society  held  its  annual  meeting  on  the  29th 
ult.,  the  President,  Mr. 'R.  C.  Notcutt,  presiding  over  a  good 
attendance.  A  most  sati.sfactory  report  and  balance-sheet  was 
presented  by  the  committee,  and  unanimously  adopted.  The 
membership  shows  a  steady  increase,  the  number  now  standing  at 
136.  The  balance-sheet  shows  a  total  incou^e  of  £27  11s.  3id.,  and 
an  expenditure  of  £14  15s.  Id.,  leaving  the  sum  of  £12  16s.  2^6. 
balance  in  hand.  Mr.  Notciitt  was  re-elected  president  for  the 
ensuing  year,  and  Mr.  W.  Thompson,  V.M.H.,  was  added  to  the 
list  of  vice-presidents.  All  the  members  of  the  committee  were 
re-elected,  together  with  the  energetic  hon.  sec.,  Mr.  W .  E.  Close, 
all  the  officials  receiving  the  hearty  thanks  of  the  meeting  for 
their  services. — E.  G. 
Reading  Gardeners:  Primulas. 
On  Monday  afternoon,  the  26th  ult.,  nearly  two  hundred 
members  of  the  above  association  paid  a  visit  to  the  new  range  of 
glass  houses  recently  erected  by  Me.ssrs.  Sutton  and  Son.s  to 
inspect  the  magnificent  collection  of  Primulas  raised  by  the  firm. 
The  exhibits  consisted  of  13,000  plants  in  thirty-eight  varieties, 
and,  needless  to  say,  a  most  enjoyable  time  was  spent.  In  the 
evening  the  ordinary  fortnightly  meeting  was  held  in  the  club- 
room,  and  Mr.  W.  Barnes,  of  Bear  Wood  Gardens,  the  vice-chair¬ 
man,  presided  over  a  record  attendance  of  members.  Great  dis¬ 
appointment  was  felt  that  through  illness  the  newly-elected  chair¬ 
man,  Mr.  J.  T.  Powell,  was  unable  to  give  his  subject,  “The 
Making  of  Sprays  and  Buttonholes,”  but  fortunately  Mr.  J. 
Gibson  of  Danesfield  Gardens,  and  Mr.  G.  Stanton,  of  Park  Place 
Gardens,  kindly  filled  the  evening  with  “  Winter  Tomatoes  ”  and 
“Hardy  Winter  Berried  Plants”  respectively.  In  dealing  with 
“Winter  Tomatoes”  Mr.  Gibson  gave  some  very  lucid  remarks 
on  the  general  culture,  emphasising  the  fact  that  two  vei-y  im¬ 
portant  essentials  towards  success  were  to  sow  the  seed  at  the 
proper  time — about  the  third  iveek  in  July — and  to  keep  the 
plants  sturdy.  Winter  Beauty  was  found  to  be  the  best  variety 
tor  the  purpose.  Many  questions  were  asked,  especially  Avith 
reference  to  planting  out  versus  potting,  temperature,  dressing, 
ventilation,  Ac.  Mr.  Stanton  in  his  paper  dealt  with  the  majority 
of  plants  v'hicli  produce  berries  during  the  Avinter  months,  includ- 
ino-  the  Holly,  Mistletoe,  Common  Yew,  Hips  and  IlaAvs,  Pyrus, 
Viburnums,  Laurustinus,  Ivy,  Berberries,  Pernettias,  Myrtle,  Ac. 
Those  taking  part  in  the  discussion  Avere  Messrs.  Barnes. 
Iggulden,  Wicks,  Attivood,  Challis.  Burfitt.  Judd,  Cox,  Lever, 
Cretchlej%  Alexander,  Lees,  Neve,  Smetlnvick,  Harris,  and  Pope. 
The  onlv  exhibit  Avas  eight  dishes  of  Sutton’s  Winter  Beauty 
Tomato,  exhibited  by  Mr.  Gibson.  The  fruits  were  of  splendid 
colour  and  exceedingly  sound.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was 
