HIS is not one of our longest keeping Pears, but is amongst the most desirable of our autumnal fruits, for the dessert, from the beginning of October to the end of November.

Cultivators of Pears are not usually aware of the attention that should be paid to the exact period of gathering such fruit, to secure its ultimate ripening, in the highest state of perfection it can acquire.

It is a useful practice to gather at two seasons, and note the result, till experience has determined the proper season. It is not sufficient that directions be given from one person's experience, for this may prove an erring guide to another. For

THE FLEMISH BEAUTY.

instance, many hardy kinds of Pears growing on a south wall, would, if kept to become fully matured in so favourable an aspect, become insipid; but the same variety grown on a standard, or on a wall of unfavourable aspect, may be benefitted by the assistance of complete maturation on the tree. The climate of the locality also would produce its influence. These circumstances demand the attention of every grower, to his own particular case.

Mr. Robert Thompson, the superintendent of the fruit department in the Horticultural Society's garden, at Chiswick, has stated, in the Gardeners' Chronicle, vol. 1, his experience regarding the ripening of the "Flemish Beauty." He says"It is very probable that this Flemish variety is in the possession of many who may not be aware of the state in which it ought to be gathered, in order to render it melting, sugary, and exceedingly delicious. If allowed to hang till it readily parts by merely raising it up, without pulling, it is good for nothing. Thus allowed to remain after the time it ought to be gathered, it will increase in size, and a rich vermilion tinge will pervade the russet next the sun, so that no one would think of gathering whilst such apparent improvement was going on; but it will not become melting if treated with such forbearance, and the flesh acquires a disagreeable Anise perfume. The discovery of this peculiarity of requiring to be gathered unusually early, was accidental. Some fruit was blown down when the crimson tinge was only just commencing to be formed, and when the stalk would not separate from the spur without some degree of violence; these proved excellent, and the portion left on the tree became the reverse."

This is a handsome dessert Pear; its cinnamon russet, mingled with a subdued red, on its sunned side, renders it attractive. Its flesh is yellowish, tender, and melting, juicy, sweet, and possessing a rich, somewhat musky, flavour. The tree bears well as a standard or dwarf, and should be added to every good collection.

Deep Blue,

covered

with bloom.

BLUE IMPERATRICE PLUM.

16.

HIS Plum, which has long been a favourite, both in English and French gardens, retains the distinctive name of Blue, in contradistinction to a fruit called the White Imperatrice, these being respectively the Imperatrice Violette, and Imperatrice Blanche, of the French; the latter, however, possesses none of the superior characters of the former variety.

The Blue Imperatrice possesses a property for which it has been much valued, a property possessed by no other Plum, in so high a degree-that of hanging on the tree and shrivelling, and at the same time becoming more and more sweet and luscious, continuing in perfection three months, or even longer. They may be gathered from the tree, when ripe, in October, and kept in a dry room with the same results, with equal success even till Christmas.

BLUE IMPERATRICE PLUM.

We should not omit to inform our readers that Plums of different sorts have been preserved in a perfectly fresh state, for three or four months after their season of ripening - a consideration of no mean import to those who enjoy the dessert and its conviviality even more than the serious occupation of dining. This has been efficiently done by several of our own countrymen, but less systematically than by M. Bosse, of Quedlinberg. This horticulturist states that when the fruit was ripe, but not withered at the stalk, he carefully cut it from the tree, leaving the stems as long as possible, and avoiding any unnecessary handling, and even using a pair of gloves. Some were wrapped in soft paper, and carefully placed in a glazed jar; others so treated were put into a wide-mouthed bottle. Others, without being wrapped up, were placed between dry Pear-leaves, in a bottle, the leaves so placed as to prevent the fruit from touching each other, or the sides of the bottle. And, lastly, some were simply put into a bottle alone; and the whole were alike securely closed by double bladder. A pit being dug in the garden the vessels containing the fruit were put into it, and a brick or tile being placed on each, the pit was filled with earth.

On being opened at Easter, those in the jar were damp at the bottom; those similarly treated, contained in the bottle, were quite dry and better than those in the jar. Those placed among the dry leaves were, however, the best; they had neither lost their bloom nor their flavour, but were as good as if fresh gathered. Those bottled alone were worthless.

This simple mode of preservation is worthy of attention, and the Imperatrice will, doubtless, prove the best Plum for that purpose.

This tree we find to be a most abundant blossomer, and generally a good bearer; but for the fruit to attain its full richness, it should be planted against a wall of good aspect.

Ground colour, Pale Yellow,

specked and pencilled with Crimson.

BROWNLOW'S BEAUTY.

17.

OMEBODY has said, "A thing of beauty is a joy for

ever." And so it is, although not always felt. We dare not, however, forget what Bacon has so truly told us, "The best part of beauty is that which a picture cannot express." Tried by either canon Brownlow's Beauty will not be found wanting.

This handsome Apple was raised by the Rev. J. Brownlow, in the garden of Harvington Hall, Worcestershire, in the year 1828, from a seed of the Woodshill, published under No. 37, in the first series of this work. Thus both parent and offspring are true natives of the same Apple-producing county. We have taken the liberty of annexing the Reverend propagator's name to the new variety, here, for the first time, introduced to public notice, as a trifling remembrance of his assiduous and successful attention to pomological pursuits, with the results of which we have not unfrequently been favoured, and can but have pleasure in gratefully acknowledging.