end of summer, and about the middle of September be removed to a shed; so that towards the end of October, when the trees should be potted, the compost may be in a proper state as regards dryness. If a considerable number of trees are proposed to be cultivated, the No. 8, or 11-inch pot, is to be preferred, as that is a portable size, which must be taken into consideration, as the trees are destined to be removed twice a-year. In potting, the compost should be well shaken into the mass of fibrous roots; and when the pot is filled to about three-fourths of its depth, it should be rammed firmly down with a stout stick, and the pot then filled up, another ramming being given so as to leave the surface concave. Water should then be poured gently on till it soaks through and through the mould, and the operation may be considered as finished.

The kind of Pear trees to be selected for pot culture are pyramids, grafted or budded on the Quince stock. These, if they have been well managed in the nursery, will be full of blossom buds, and their roots masses of fibres, so that, to use an old-fashioned gardening expression, they will not miss their moving"-which I presume is to be interpreted, "their removal will not retard their growth". They will in truth, if potted in November or early in December, bear a nice crop the following season. As soon as the trees are potted, they should be placed in the orchard house, stowed as thickly as possible, and the pots covered with leaves or litter to some 5 or 6 inches in depth. This will keep the mould in a proper state of moisture, and prevent injury from frost. If trees three or four years old are potted they may be expected to bear nice, although not full, crops the second year after potting, but they will not bear full crops till some six or seven years old.

Their routine culture should be as follows: They may remain undisturbed in the orchard house with their protection of leaves or litter till the end of March, when it should be removed, and the trees have a good supply of water. This treatment applies not only to freshly potted trees, but to those already established. Although the trees are so close that their pots touch each other, they may be suffered to bloom and set their fruit without being moved. As the Pear does not put forth its leaves to any extent till long after the fruit is set, no injurious crowding takes place. About the end of the first week in June, when in the greater portion of England spring frosts are over, all the trees should be removed from the orchard house to their summer quarters, which should be some sunny place near the orchard house. If the soil be moist and tenacious, the pots should be plunged to only two-thirds of their depth, and then covered with some light half-decayed manure to about 2 or 3 inches deep. If the soil of the summer quarters be dry and light the pots may be plunged to their rims, and the surface of each pot covered with decomposed manure saturated with liquid

1868. ]

PEAS NEW AND OLD.

9

manure to 2 inches in depth; and then, if the weather be hot and dry, the whole of the border in which the pots are plunged should be covered, pots and all, with short half-decayed manure, or anything like it, so that but little water may be required. During the summer the fruit should be thinned, for, owing to the kind nature of the climate in which the trees blossomed, the fruit will set in large clusters, and if not thinned will give Pears inferior or worthless. A tree the second year of its potted life may be suffered to bear one dozen of Pears; in the third year from a dozen and a quarter to a dozen and a half. As a rule, a tree in an 11-inch pot should not be allowed to bear more than two dozen of Pears of ordinary size, and, if large kinds, seldom or never more than one and a half dozen.

The pot culture of Pear trees is so simple and so safe in its results, that it must and will progress; so that in a few years people who annually have crops of fine Pears with the assistance of glass, will look with wonder on the dark ages of Pear culture, when the crop entirely depended on the mildness or the converse of our springs-if mild, Pears; if frosty, no Pears. T. R.

PEAS NEW AND OLD.

HE earlier, and perhaps the more important of the various sorts of Peas grown this year at Chiswick, for experimental purposes, were briefly described at p. 190 (1867) of the former series. The remainder, amongst which will be found some very useful sorts, and many old favourites, will now be noticed; their quality, generally speaking, is, however, scarcely equal to that of some of the varieties already mentioned.

British Queen is a white wrinkled Marrow, an old, well-known, and general favourite. When sown at the same time as Sangster's No. 1 it comes into use three weeks after that variety. It is very prolific, and continues bearing for a long time in succession, so that a great many gatherings can be had from the same row. It grows from 6 to 8 feet in height; the pods are very large, full, of a pale green colour, containing from seven to nine large peas in each, of very fine quality. Hooper's Incomparable, Wonder, and Cattell's Wonder are identical with it. Tall Mammoth very much resembles it, but is a few days later.

Knight's Tall White Wrinkled Marrow is a few days later than British Queen. It grows from 4 to 5 feet high, and is very prolific; the pods are pale green, rather flat, with an exceedingly thin inner lining; they contain from seven to eight peas each, which are remarkably sweet and tender. Spider Pea (Stuart & Mein), is a white wrinkled Marrow, of good flavour.

Lynn's Prolific Wrinkled is a white wrinkled Marrow, about 3 feet high; when sown at the same time it comes into use one month after Sangster's No. 1. It was the latest of all the varieties grown. The pods are small, but well filled. It is very prolific, with a fine hardy constitution, standing against the summer droughts well. The dried seed is of a brownish white colour, small, much compressed, almost square, with a small black spot on each. Owing to this characteristic it is sometimes called Black-eyed Susan.

Auvergne, a second early white Marrow, is an old, well-known, and general favourite where quantity not quality is desired. Sown at the same time, it comes into use about a fortnight after Sangster's No. 1. The pods are long and rather narrow, much curved at the point, containing from seven to ten peas in each. It has a very vigorous hardy constitution, grows from 4 to 6 feet high, and is very prolific. Dickson's Favourite is a selection from the Auvergne; the pods are larger, broader, and not nearly so much curved; it is the better variety of the two, and is very often substituted for it. Torwoodlee is a synonym of Favourite.

Princess Royal is a second early white Marrow, from 2 to 3 feet high, eighteen days later than Sangster's No 1, and a first-class Pea. The pods are large and broad, with from seven to eight large peas in cach, of excellent quality. It is of a fine vigorous constitution,

and an abundant bearer. The ripe seed is large, round, smooth, slightly indented, of a very clear whitish appearance. Cattell's Kent Rival is identical with it.

Paradise Early Marrow is ten days later than Sangster's No. 1, and about 4 feet high. The pods are large, full, and broad, of a whitish appearance, containing from seven to eight large peas, of very good quality. It is a prolific and good Pea. Mein's Paradise, Giant Early Marrow, and Excelsior Marrow are identical with it.

Somersetshire Early Prolific is very similar to the old White Prussian. Peabody is of the same class, but of no particular merit. Harrison's Perfection is quite superseded.

Waterloo Marrow is about 6 feet high; sown at the same time, it comes in three weeks after Sangster's No. 1. The pods are large, full, slightly curved, containing from seven to eight large peas in each, of very good quality. Victoria Marrow is identical with it.

Garbutt's Amazon is a very strong-growing blue Marrow, about 6 feet high, three weeks later than Sangster's No. 1, with large full pods and large peas, but of poor flavour.

Prizetaker is a well-known second early green Marrow, from 4 to 5 feet high, about a fortnight later than Sangster's No. 1. The pods are large, rounded, curved, remarkably well filled, and of a deep green colour. It is a very prolific free-bearing variety, and very handsome in appearance, always commanding a high price in market. It is, however, not very sweet in flavour; indeed, the varieties of this class of Peas are altogether inferior in flavour to the wrinkled varieties. The ripe seed is of a mixed white and olive green. Laxton's Prolific Longpod is very similar to this, but is frequently mixed with a white-seeded variety, the same in general appearance. Green Prolific and Grotto are identical with it. Green Marrow (Wrench), is a somewhat stronger grower, a larger sample, with broader and larger pods. Blue Excelsior is a second early green Marrow; Knight's Blue Emperor is identical with it. Early Surprise is somewhat larger, and an improvement.

Scimetar, a well-known variety, and much esteemed for general purposes is much used for field culture, as it is very hardy, and does well without staking.

It grows about 3 feet high, and comes in three weeks after Sangster's No. 1. The pods are large, curved or sword-shaped, rather flat, well-filled, with from seven to nine peas in each, of a nice green colour, and fair quality. Carter's Improved Scimetar is no improvement. Flack's Imperial, of the same class, is earlier than Seimetar. Banksian Marrow is an improvement on it. Carter's Surprise is of the same style. Harrison's Glory is quite superseded.

Blue Prussian is an old well-known variety, a very prolific bearer, but of poor flavour. Woodford Green Marrow is of the Prussian class, and also poor in flavour. Batt's Wonder is from four to five days later, rather larger, and an improvement on it.

ORD'S APPLE.

A. B.

'HIS though an old Apple, is, nevertheless, comparatively unknown, and yet, as a dessert fruit in the months of February, March, April, and May, it is, in my opinion, unrivalled, being as fresh, crisp, and juicy then, as most other Apples are in September and October. Before Christmas it is sharp and sour; but in the late spring months its freshness and piquancy of flavour is something remarkable-so much so, that it seems as if it had been just gathered from the tree, and yet combined with a peculiar softness of substance, like that of the White Calville. It is also an excellent cooking variety in the spring months.

Its appearance is somewhat against it, for it might well be termed ugly-nearly as unprepossessing as that richest of all Apples, the Cornish Gilliflower. It is, however, much relished and sought after, by all who have tasted it.

It is of medium size, oblong, inclining to ovate, flattened at both ends, obtusely angular on the sides; eye small, closed, depressed, set in a narrow irregularly-formed cavity; stalk about half an inch in length, slender, rather deeply inserted; skin thick, and always of a greenish

1868. ]

HERPACEOUS CALCEOLARIAS.

11

colour when on the tree, tinged with reddish brown, and thickly spotted with numerous copper-coloured or ferrugineous specks on the side next the sun. After the fruit has been some time gathered the green colour changes to a yellowish shade. The flesh when quite ripe is of a yellowish tint, firm but crisp, juicy and tender, sweet and very refreshing, with a slight perfume.

The tree itself is hardy, free-growing, and an abundant bearer. The fruit, however, would be benefited by being grown in a warm situation, it being so late in ripening. It is, perhaps, questionable if it would succeed in our northern counties; but for the southern counties it is highly to be recommended.

It was raised at Purser's Cross, Fulham, by the late John Ord, Esq., about ninety years ago, from seed of an imported Newtown Pippin, and was sent out from the Hammersmith Nursery. The variety is figured in the Transactions" of the Horticultural Society (ii., 285.)

Chiswick.

A. F. BARRON.

HERBACEOUS CALCEOLARIAS.

MERY few plants are more effective for decorative purposes than the Herbaceous Calceolaria, and none more easily grown if properly treated. Few subjects have, moreover, made greater progress of late years in respect to quality than these. A few years since we had tall, weakly-growing plants, that required a number of sticks, and much tying-out, to fit them for exhibition. Now, thanks to skilful hybrid

ising, we have them dwarf, and of robust habit, with a profusion of large well-shaped flowers of brilliant colours, which, when grouped together, have a charming effect, whether used for the decoration of the conservatory or the flower garden.

The Calceolaria ought to be more appreciated than it is, and more collections should be brought forward at our exhibitions. Those who have had the pleasure of visiting the International and other London flower shows, must have been struck with the gorgeous effect produced by the collections staged by Messrs. Dobson & Sons, Mr. Turner, and Mr. James. Such collections as these show to what perfection the Calceolaria may be grown, and ought to stimulate others to try and do likewise. A few hints as regards their proper treatment may be, it is thought, of some use to those who wish to grow them well.

Having procured a packet of seed of a good strain, it is advisable to sow in 32-sized pots, so as to secure a proper drainage; this is easily effected by putting in 2 inches of broken crocks and an inch of rough mould of a fibrous nature; the pots must then be filled to within half an inch of the top with soil composed of equal proportions of loam, leaf mould, and silver sand, which must be rubbed through a fine sieve. The surface must be made very smooth, and watered gently, and after the water has thoroughly drained off, the seed is to be sown very thinly over the surface. Place the pots in a cool frame, with a slight shading over them, until the seedlings are ready to be pricked-off. They ought to be pricked-off into a box or pan filled with the above-named compost, and returned to the cool frame, where they should be kept close and shaded for a few days till they have made fresh roots, when the shading can be taken off, and abundance of air given. After they have made their fourth leaf, they ought to be put into 60-sized pots, and kept in a temperature of from 65° to 70°, with abundance of moisture. As soon as they have filled these pots with roots, they should be shifted to large 48 or 32-sized pots, which is quite large enough for the first year of flowering. The compost to be used now is two parts turfy loam, one part leaf mould, and one part rotten dung and silver sand. Care must be taken not to pot too firmly. To have a nice bushy plant, and a succession of bloom, the centre ought to be pinched-out as soon as the plants have established themselves in their blooming pots.

The plants to grow on for the second year ought to be selected while in flower, and cut back immediately after the flowers have faded. They may then be placed behind a north wall, where they should remain until the second week in September, during which pericd they must be watered moderately. After this, they should be repotted into a 10-inch pot, in which they are to remain for blooming the next season. The same compost

ས་