110. The apple tree grows and thrives on very various soils. It equally dislikes a strong clayey and wet soil, as one that is open, dry, and gravelly ; a deep rich cool soil answers best. To lay down more particular rules would be nugatory. It is a fact, that in each particular place, cer tain kinds of apples are observed to succeed better than other kinds. When therefore the cultivator has discovered the varieties most congenial to the soil and situation, it will be his wisest plan to encourage them, by multiplying grafts of them on his other and less productive trees, or by form ing new additional trees of those successful sorts. Where the soil is shallow, and the subsoil bad, it is by following this plan only that large crops of apples can be regularly procured, the new wood of the grafts bearing for a few years, and then giving place to other grafts.
This may be illustrated, by instancing Dalkeith Park garden near Edinburgh, belonging to the Duke of Buc clench. Formerly few or no apples were here produced, the soil being very shallow, and the subsoil pernicious. But his Grace's gardener, Mr James Macdonald, planted many new trees on this plan :—He formed a small hillock of earth about a foot high, and four or five feet in circumfer ence; on this lie placed the tree, carefully spreading the roots, and then covering these with six inches of good earth, and fixing the stem to a stake, to prevent wind-wav ing. The roots of the trees so planted do not appear ever to have penetrated to the bad subsoil. Still, however, find ing that all his standard fruit trees, and particularly ap ples, would inevitably prove short-lived, Mr Macdonald had recourse to the other plan, of constantly putting on new grafts. He inserts regularly from 2000 to 3000 every year, sometimes placing five or six sorts on one tree. The grafts are of such kinds as experience has taught him to be most fruitful in Dalkeith garden. Apples are now pro duced in this garden in wonderful profusion, the young wood being often bent down with heavy clusters of fruit, which in many cases are to be seen resting on the ground.
Pears.
1 11. The Pear tree. (Pyrus communis, L.) is naturalized in some parts of England, and is figured in " English Bo tany," t. 1784, but can scarcely be accounted an original native. The date of the introduction of the earliest culti vated varieties is not known ; for most of them we are in debted to France and the Netherlands. Parkinson enume rates sixty-four, many of which have disappeared. Knoop,
in his Pomologie, describes and figures above a hundred. Millet has selected eighty, which he describes in his Dic tionary, as the best then known in England. Not above one half of those contained in this list • are now much es teemed or cultivated. Pears are distinguished, according to the season in which they are fit for use, into summer, au tumn, and winter pears. Summer pears must be gathe• e6 as they ripen, and eaten from the tree, none of them keeping more than a few days; autumn pears do not keep much more than a fortnight ; winter pears are gathered betore being fully ripe, in dry weather, and kept, some for several weeks, and others for several months, before being used. They are also classed, according to their general qualities, as dessert or kitchen pears ; and, ac cording as their flesh is firm and breaks, or is soft and melts, into and melting pears.
112. The following are the best kinds at present culti vated.
113. The Jargonelle (meaning the euisse madame of the French, whose jai gonelle, vice versa, is our cuisse ma dame) is a well-known fruit, the tree being universally cul tivated, either against walls, or espalier rails, or as dwarf standards The flesh is breaking, sweet, and has a slight ly musky flavour. It ripens in August, and does not keep; but if two or three trees be planted on an east aspect, the jargonellc season may be prolonged till the end of Septem ber.
The Cuisse Madame (i. e. the French jargonclle) is not nearly so good a fruit as the former ; but the tree being a great bearer, the kind is liked for the London market.
The Red llluscadelle, or La bellissime, is a large beauti ful fruit, of a yellow colour, with red stripes ; the flesh melt ing, and of a rich flavour, when not too ripe.
The Green Chisel, or Hasting pear, is of a whitish-green when ripe, has a very thin skin, flesh melting and sugary, but when too ripe, mealy.
The August Muscat, Royal Muscat, Hanvillc, or Poire d'Averat, is a roundish flat pear, shaped like a bergamot, skin smooth, of a whitish-yellow colour ; flesh breaking, Juice richly sugared and perfumed ; characterized by Mil ler, as " one of the best summer pears yet known." The fruit is produced in clusters, and the tree is a great bearer.
The Little Muscat is of a longish shape, of a yellow co lour, except next the sun, where it is red. On a south or south-east wall it is ripe early in August.