Discussion on Southern Fruits. 123 



have a great influence upon varieties. I was told that about Mo- 

 bile it is almost impossible for them to grow figs, except the Celesti, 

 whereas at Norfolk, which is five hundred miles further north, I 

 have seen half a dozen varieties uninjured for years. 



Mr. Baldwin, of Michigan — Do you find the LeConte pear as 

 good upon its own root as when grafted ? 



Mr. Berchnans — I find it better upon another root. I think it 

 is better suited to the light lauds of the Southern States than any 

 other pear they can grow. It has matured in Connecticut and New 

 York. They find it there not so desirable as some other varieties. 

 In the Southern States you can grow it where you can grow no other 

 pear. 



Mr. Smith, of Wisconsin — It has been represented to me that the 

 pear would not be valuable except upon its own root. 



Mr. Berckmans — Certain ideas obtain with certain men. We 

 can not take stock in all these things. 



3Ir. Baldwin, of Michigan — I came down to attend this meeting 

 a little in advance, wanting to make a trip into Florida. On my 

 return I stopped at what was supposed to be the headquarters of 

 the LeConte pear. I got some very valuable information by going 

 to the parties who grow them largely near Thomasville, Ga. One 

 fact they impressed upon my mind, that they never graft it upon 

 another stock. 



Mr. Berckmans, of Georgia — That does not agree with my expe- 

 rience. 



Mr. Baldwin, of Michigan — In going through one of^the or- 

 chards the owner showed me a row that were grown on their own 

 roots, and several grown on other stocks. They were about five 

 years old, and those grown on their own roots were fully twice as 

 large. I ascertained that they began planting their trees twelve or 

 fourteen feet apart, then eighteen or twenty. They have now found 

 that they must not plant them nearer than thirty feet. They have 

 about three thousand trees in orchards from two to "eleven years old. 

 The average yield of the ten years old trees was about fifteen bush- 

 els to the tree. The first shipments sold in New York at $5.00 a 

 bushel. 



