SECRETARY'S REPORT. 225 



Their culture is easy — give a deep rich soil ; plant so that the 

 junction between the scion and the stock is just even with the 

 ground. If planted deeper the scion may strike root, and the tree 

 grow so vigorously as to lose its distinctive character as a dwarf 

 tree. Keep the head open and thin out the fruit so it may attain 

 its full size. To the extensive orchardist they would seem little 

 else than horticultural toys, but to the occupants of town lots, they 

 are both ornamental and useful, and deserve more general cultiva- 

 tion, especially the choice early sorts, which are rarely plenty in 

 market. What more beautiful to the eye than the apple tree in 

 full bloom, or loaded with its crimson or golden fruit ? What more 

 tempting to the appetite than the grateful and palatable fruit itself? 

 Almost all varieties are grown on these stocks, but mostly the 

 handsome early and showy autumn sorts. Red Astrachan and 

 Duchess of Oldenburg are special favorites. 



THE PEAR. 



The pear is a most delicious aud estimable fruit and its culture 

 is worthy of more attention than it has ever received in this State. 

 Its intrinsic importance is second only to that of the apple, and in 

 its adaptation to various uses, and its duration, by the successive 

 ripeuiug of its varieties from August to midwinter and even later, 

 it bears considerable resemblance to that fruit. 



Its culture in Maine is in its infancy. Indeed the same remark 

 might be truthfully made regarding its culture in the country at 

 large ; for although long grown, only a very few, perhaps not 

 more than two or three, of those varieties which were highly es- 

 teemed thirty years ago, are now extensively cultivated anywhere 

 in the United States. All those at present considered desirable are 

 of recent introduction, and their culture in this State, for the most 

 part, more recent still. 



That the pear-tree did once thrive admirably in Maine is sufiS- 

 ciently proved by the existence of the large, healthy, old trees 

 which we occasionally find at the present time in several parts of 

 the State, * bearing, it is true, fruit of poor quality and fit only for 



* In a communication from Mr. John Rogers of Kittery, he says: " Pear trees are 

 hardy and very long lived. Many old seedling trees are standing on my farm, one 

 in particular, -which is believed to be a hundred and fifty to two hundred years old. 

 It is a mere shell now, being decayed at the heart, but if sound would measure two 



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