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THE

FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST.

BEURRE D'ANJOU PEAR.

WITH AN ILLUSTRATION.

THE fruit which we now figure under the name of Beurré d'Anjou is not the same as Brown Beurré, of which the same name is a synonyme, but another and a very different variety that was introduced by Mr. Rivers under that name. It is, we are informed, the Nec Plus Meuris of the French nurseries, and was received from Messrs. Jamin et Durand, of Bourg-la-Reine, under that name; but it is totally distinct from the Ne Plus Meuris of Van Mons. I cannot discover the origin of this variety, and I am therefore constrained to adopt the name that has been given to it in the French collections; but it is a most unfortunate one, seeing that it is liable to add to the already great confusion of nomenclature that pomologists have to contend with.

It is some years since this excellent Pear was brought to my notice by Mr. Rivers; and I have since found on every occasion that I have met with the fruit, that on account of its handsome appearance as well as the superiority of its flavour, it is a variety of the greatest excellence, or, as Mr. Rivers expresses it to me," remarkable for the clearness and beauty of its fruit."

The fruit is fragrant, large, even and regular in its outline. Skin smooth, and not at all rough to the feel; on the shaded side pale straw yellow, dotted all over with rather large freckles of russet; and on the side exposed to the sun it has a bright crimson cheek, freckled with russet, and strewed with dots of the same. There is also a crust of russet round the stalk. Eye very small and open, with very short erect segments, set in a very shallow depression. Stalk very short and stout, inserted on the apex of the fruit, with occasionally a large fleshy lip on one side of it. Flesh yellowish, tender, buttery and melting, very juicy, sweet, and richly flavoured.

A first-rate Pear, of delicious flavour. Ripe in December.

The tree is a very robust grower on the quince, forming a handsome pyramid, and bears well in the warmer situations of England as a pyramid, bush, or espalier. When trained against a wall in warm climates its flavour is often deteriorated, although its size and beauty are increased. In common with some of our finest kinds of Pears it is not always up to its character in flavour, but is never inferior. On the whole, it is to be reckoned amongst our choice Pears. H.

VOL. V.

B

THE NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

I MUST Confess at the outset that all the new Chrysanthemums I have seen of the past autumn are in the hands of Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith. There will be others, but I have neither seen nor heard of them, and I regret I cannot give them in this paper. Mr. Salter has, as usual, some superb flowers. It is a rich treat to walk through his houses in the month of November, if it were only to see what can be made of the Chrysanthemum as a plant for conservatory decoration. You are struck with the great variety of shades, with the brilliancy of colour that has in late years been attained, and with the massiveness of many of the flowers. The flowers recently exhibited at the Guildhall, at the meeting of the United Horticultural Society, were thought by more than one or two persons to be Dahlias, and in size at least they are approaching them; but kindly allowance must be made for the pure cockney element that would visit a show in the heart of "London's rich and famous town." Mr. Salter's annual show of Chrysanthemums in November is as attractive to the florist as the Lord Mayor's Show of the same month is to the citizens; and I propose to give a few brief notes, first of the new flowers, and then of a few that were sent out in 1864-65.

I take Gloria Mundi to be the finest flower of the year. Its colour is brilliant golden yellow the flower is beautifully incurved, has a very high centre, and is a model of form. Another splendid yellow flower is Golden Ball: it is a deep golden colour, is also finely incurved, and is of great size. To each of these flowers the Floral Committee awarded first-class certificates of merit. Next in point of merit are Golden Beverley, a sport from the white flower of that name, bright canary yellow colour, and finely incurved; and Hereward, rosy crimson, with silvery backs to the petals, which are finely incurved. These two received second-class certificates from the Floral Committee. Other new flowers are Rose Leach, one of the recurved flowers, colour very delicate peach, a very pleasing shade; John Salter, golden yellow, but when fully incurved. the colour is a reddish cinnamon-a fine and very beautiful flower; Countess of Granville, pearly white, a good-sized and beautiful flower; Crimson Velvet, a splendid flower, colour glowing crimson, brilliant, and smooth-a "beat" on all the flowers of that shade of colour; Compactum, a very pretty and compact flower, colour silvery rose, finely incurved; Fulgidum, dark red, glowing into bright red-a very striking and somewhat novel incurved flower; Empress Eugénie, delicate lilac peach, a large flower, and finely incurved; Ondine, very delicate peach, quite new in colour, and having the centre tinged with citron, a large incurved flower; and Titania, bright rosy carmine suffused with cream, darker in colour, and much better than Ariadne. This list does not include all the new flowers Mr. Salter will send out in the spring, but simply all he had named up to the time that I paid him my annual visit.

Of last year's Howers the following were very fine:-Alba Multiflora, a good-sized incurved white flower; Aurea Multiflora, pure yellow, very bright and incurved; Eve, sulphur yellow, of a delicate colour, and finely incurved; Golden Dr. Brock, a sport from the reddish orange Dr. Brock, a beautiful incurved flower of a bright golden yellow colour; King of Denmark, bright rosy lilac, a fine exhibition flower, also incurved; and Venus, delicate lilac peach, a large flower, finely incurved. Of older flowers I saw splendid specimens of Antigone, white, finely incurved; Antonelli, incurved, colour salmon orange, a fine show flower; Carissima, ivory white with rose markings, finely incurved; Dr. Brock, reddish orange, incurved and very fine; Duc de Conegliano, a large red-coloured recurved flower, very showy; Edwin Landseer, rosy ruby colour, large and very fine; Etoile Polaire, a finely incurved golden

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