The Medlar is another of those fruits not very generally cultivated, and not very popular, except with those who have acquired a taste for it. It is of a peculiar habit of growth - very twisting and spreading, and not attaining to any great height. The largest trees we have seen were not more than 12 feet high, and it is seldom that it attains even this height. The fruit is quite unfit to eat - being hard and very acid - until it begins to decay. The flavour is then slightly acid and astringent, and is eaten raw by those who love it. It is sometimes preserved with sugar, but does not make the best of jelly.

There are several varieties of the medlar in cultivation, but the following four are the best, and are arranged in the order of their quality. The first and best is the Monstrous Medlar, which combines the flavour of the Nottingham with the size of the Dutch Medlar, and is a very abundant bearer. Next in order is the Nottingham, which is a small but highly-flavoured variety, and is perhaps the most generally grown of all. It is more upright in its habit of growth than the rest, and consequently is not so grotesque in its general appearance. The next in point of quality is the Dutch Medlar, which is larger in size than the last-named variety, but not nearly so high in flavour. The fruit of this variety more resembles an Apple with a very large eye than any of the others. The last variety we shall name is the Stoneless, which is very small and obovate, without stones, of a russet-brown colour, and not any larger than a common Gooseberry. It is not nearly so high in flavour as any of the former-named kinds, but, being a long keeper, is sometimes cultivated on that account.

The propagation of the Medlar is accomplished by cuttings, by layers, and from seed. Sometimes the Medlar is grafted or budded upon the wild Medlar, the Quince, the Pear, or the White Thorn - the latter stock being considered the best for this purpose, especially where the soil is of a dry nature, whereas the Quince is considered the best in wet and cold climates. "When the tree is to be propagated from a cutting, nice strong shoots should be selected, having a heel of the former year's wood attached, and may be put in during autumn or early winter, and afterwards treated much in the same way as we have recommended for the Quince. To propagate by layers, any of the methods recommended for the Quince will be found to suit the purpose well enough. To propagate by seed, these should be taken from the fruit as soon as ripe, and sown at once. It will be two years, or I should rather say a year and a half, before the young plants begin to show above the ground, the seed usually taking that period to germinate. As soon as they have attained to the height of 1 foot or thereby, they should be attached to a strong stake to encourage a straight growth for a stem.

They may at the end of the first or second year's growth be planted out at distances of 1½ foot apart or thereby, and all the varieties ought to be trained to a single stem till they attain to the height of at least 4 or 5 feet, for unless this be done the trees will branch and twist about upon the ground like a Warrington Gooseberry, with the single exception of the Nottingham Medlar, which is more erect in habit than the rest. After the stem has been grown to the desired height, the tree may be formed in just the same way as an ordinary standard Apple. Greater care, however, is necessary in the case of the Medlar, so as to counteract as much as possible that crossing of branches which is sure to be the result in such a peculiar-growing tree as the Medlar.

The Medlar luxuriates best in a moist and rich loamy soil, although it may partially succeed in almost any soil. It does not do well either in a too dry or too moist a soil: the best flavour and the largest fruit invariably are produced upon such soils as we have above recommended. James M'Millan.

(To be continued).