The Book of Pears and Plums Part 2

_August and September._

Beacon. Souvenir du Congres.

Flemish Beauty. Clapp's Favourite.

Bon Chretien. Marguerite Marillat.

_September and October._

B. d'Amanlis. Bonne d'Ezee or Brockworth Park.

Beurre de l'a.s.somption. Triomphe de Vienne.

_October._

B. Hardy. Marie Louise d'Uccle.

D. Boussoch. B. Superfin.

Louise Bonne.

_October and November._

Beurre Alexandre Lucas. Marechal de la Cour.

Emile d'Heyst. D. du Comice.

B. Diel. Pitmaston D.

Beurre Fouqueray. Magnate.

d.u.c.h.esse d'Angouleme. Conference.

Durondeau. Marie Louise.

_November and December_.

Thompson's. B. Sterkmans.

Nouveau Poiteau. B. d'Anjou.

Princess. Glou Morceau.

Fondante de Thirriott. General Todleben.

B. Baltet Pere.

_January, etc._

Nouvelle Fulvie. Pa.s.se Cra.s.sanne.

Bergamotte Esperen. President Barabe.

Olivier de Serres. Easter Beurre.

B. Rance.

COOKING PEARS FOR EXHIBITION

_December and April._

Uvedale's St Germain. Bellissime d'Hiver.

Catillac. Directeur Alphand.

Verulam.

Size is the chief point in cooking pears, then equality of excellence.

Size is produced by careful culture and good feeding in good soil.

The dates above are only approximate.

PEARS FOR APPEARANCE

[Ill.u.s.tration: PEAR--MARGUERITE MARILLAT]

Doyenne Boussoch is perhaps the most handsome of all pears, but does not last long. Marguerite Marillat (September) is large and handsome, so are B. Clairgeau, B. Sterkmans, B. Mortillet, Souvenir du Congres, B. Baltet Pere (very turbinate), B. Giffard, B. Hardy, Louise Bonne, and others.

PEARS FOR QUALITY

Much depends on the season, soil and situation. In a cold season, even pears of good quality are only fit for cooking. Thus used, they are often excellent. The sweetest of all pears is Comte de Lamy. Dana's Hovey (of American origin) is perhaps its equal. D. du Comice, B. Hardy, Marie Louise, Josephine de Malines, Winter Nelis, Bon Chretien, B.

Superfin, Thompson's, Fondante d'Automne, are among the best. A warm autumn makes a vast difference. B. Diel then becomes first rate, so do Pa.s.se Cra.s.sanne, Olivier de Serres, Bergamotte Esperen, B. d'Anjou, B.

Sterkmans, and others.

COOKING PEARS

Growers should keep in mind that dessert pears often cook well if gathered before they are ripe. Stewed pears are excellent food in every way; pears that do not ripen well can be utilised thus. There are special sorts pre-eminently good. Verulam and Bellissime d'Hiver, very fertile as bushes or cordons, keep and cook well. Catillac and Uvedale's St Germain are very large, the latter often enormous; the fruit sometimes exceeds 2 lb. if the tree is well fed. The two last are spreading as bushes, but do well as cordons. Bellissime d'Hiver was the favourite C. pear of the famous Dr Hogg. Vicar of Winkfield is also good, but not so lasting. Cooking pears should begin in September and last until April. B. Clairgeau is regarded by the R.H.S. as a cooking pear. It is free-bearing and handsome, but not lasting. Directeur Alphand (new) is described as very large, but needs sun to ripen.

EARLY PEARS

These are not important (except for sale), as so many fruits of other kinds are usually abundant. Doyenne d'ete is the first in.

Double-grafted on the Quince, it is very fertile. Next comes Citron des Carmes, a great French favourite. The fruit of this is said to be fine when the tree is double-grafted. Crawford, a favourite Scotch pear, is regarded as its superior north of the Tweed. Jargonelle is also a Scotch favourite, especially in Perth, where every vacant wall s.p.a.ce is said to be soon occupied by this pear. It is grown, too, as a standard on the free stock, but does not love the Quince. If double-grafted, the leading shoot pinched as well as the side shoots two or three times in the season, it will bear well. Beacon and B. Giffard are also August pears. Later on come Clapp's Favourite, Bon Chretien, and many others.

Early sorts should be gathered before they are ripe. Mr G. Bunyard recommends that early pears as well as early apples should be laid in heaps, covered with nettles or straw, and "sweated," to improve their appearance. They are said to colour well treated thus.

LATE PEARS

Are often worthless until they are in the kitchen; yet a warm autumn makes some of them delicious. The best of all is Josephine de Malines.

The tree does well as a standard or bush, and the demand for the fruit is sometimes great. With care it will last to March. Next comes Winter Nelis, not so hardy; then follow Nouvelle Fulvie, Madame Millett, Pa.s.se Cra.s.sanne, Olivier de Serres, Easter Beurre, and B. Rance. A new sort, President Barabe, has received a First Cla.s.s Certificate from the R.H.S.

Late varieties must be allowed on the trees as long as possible, and be _well_ protected from birds. Great care must be taken in handling and storing. Bruised pears soon rot.

PEARS FOR COTTAGERS AND SMALL FARMERS

The following were selected in 1892 by the R.H.S. on the advice of forty experts: _for eating_, Jargonelle, Bon Chretien, B. d'Amanlis, Louise Bonne, Durondeau, Marie Louise, D. du Comice, Pitmaston d.u.c.h.ess; _for_ _cooking_, B. Clairgeau, Catillac, Uvedale's St Germain, Verulam. But Marie Louise is a poor and uncertain bearer.

SYNONYMS