ira nardina_, a pear with
the scent of nard; _pira onynchina_, a pear of the colour of the
fingernail, and others. These last are evidently Greek. Forty or fifty
sorts are named in Roman writers, and the Pear was appropriately
dedicated to Minerva, the goddess of wisdom.

The Romans no doubt took their pear-trees northwards into Gaul and
Britain. The climate of France is so well adapted to the growth of
pears, that at one time it was thought all good pears must come from
France. I well remember many years ago seeing a garden in this country
full of pear-trees, every one of which had come from France. Happily
there is no need now to go out of England for the very best varieties. A
list published in 1628 by a fruit-grower of Orleans named Le Lectier
(there is a new variety called by his name, and probably after him)
enumerates 260 varieties. The well known Jargonelle is mentioned in that
list. Our Parkinson in 1629 refers to 64 varieties only. Seventy years
later we read of 138, and in 1829 of 630 varieties. John Scott, rather
famous as a fruit-grower forty years ago, says in his "Orchardist" that
he has above 1000 sorts worked upon the Quince Stock. He had studied
pomology at the "_Jardin Fruitier_," the fruit garden attached to the
_Jardin des Plantes_ at Paris, and, using his opportunities, learnt all
the secrets of Pear culture, and brought them from France to Merriott,
near Crewkerne, in Somerset. The last edition of Dr Hogg's "Fruit
Manual" (invaluable to the Pomologist), published in 1884, contains the
names of 647 varieties. Not a few of these were marked as worthless by
the Committee of the National Pear Conference, held at Chiswick in
October 1885. The Royal Horticultural Society in their "Fruits for
Cottagers and Small Farmers" (1892), selected eight varieties only for
eating, and two more for late keepers; four were recommended for cooking
or stewing. Fresh sorts are constantly being brought into notice, the
result of cross-fertilisation, and we may, I think, congratulate
ourselves that British pears in a favourable season are as good as those
produced in any part of the world. Let any one who doubts this statement
attend a Crystal Palace or any other first-rate Fruit Show; his doubts
will soon be dispelled.

SITUATION AND SOIL

These two points are of the greatest importance in successful
cultivation. No amount of skill will enable even a clever gardener to
grow good fruit in a bad site. Where the land i