260 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



season, to secure size and quality. Thej'- must not remain too 

 long on the tree. Most kinds lose, rather than gain, if left on 

 after the first week in October, and none should be left after the 

 middle. Handle with care ; gather on a dry day and put in a cool 

 cellar, not damp and not too dry; if wet, they rot; if too dry, 

 they shrivel. Where there are but few, the better mode is to put 

 them in barrels or boxes, between layers of apples. When within 

 a fortnight of maturity, bring tliem into a warm room, and keep in 

 close drawers. In this way they will soon develop the richest 

 hues, the most perfect texture and the highest flavor of which 

 they are capable. 



The. number of winter pears which has given satisfaction in 

 this State is very limited, and there is greater need of acquisi- 

 tions to it, than to the number of those ripening at any other 

 season. 



Eastek Beurre. This is mentioned here because it has often 

 been extolled too highly. When perfectly well grown and ripened, 

 it deserves all the praise given to it, but this cannot be done in 

 Maine. Although hard}', it requires a longer and warmer season 

 than ours, to arrive any where near perfection. In a very few 

 instances it has ripened tolerably well in warm gardens. 



Glout Morceau. Few pears, really so good as this is when in 

 perfection, have given so little satisfaction in Maine. If planted, 

 it shovdd be only on the quince root, for which it is peculiarly 

 adapted, and then as much patience must be exercised as for almost 

 any pear (except the Dis) on pear root. After a lapse of ten or 

 twelve years or more, I have heard cultivators here pronounce it 

 the most valuable of any. The tree is vigorous and very hardy. 

 The fruit, in perfection, is large, of excellent quality, and keeps 

 late into winter, but until the trees are near maturity, the fruit is 

 usually worthless. 



Passe Coi.mak. Very hardy, a good grower: fruit of very good 

 quality and keeps late. Succeeds on both pear and quince. Its 

 fiiult is excessive productiveness, requiring altogether top much 

 thinning out to secure specimens of good size ; and small ones are 

 not worth growing. January, February. 



