SECRETARY'S REPORT. 227 



Hovey, and a host of others, some of whom possess collections 

 perhaps never equalled elsewhere, entitle them to the gratitude of 

 all. Still this, although a good step in the right direction, and an 

 indispensable one, is not all which is needful. A few such collec- 

 tions would have answered all useful purposes for New England ; 

 and had the great majority of cultivators directed the same amount 

 of pains and expense towards the extensive and profitable produc- 

 tion of fine pears, the results would probably have been of vastly 

 greater importance to the community, as well as more lucrative to 

 the cultivators themselves. 



Another reason is, that some kinds which have been amply 

 proved to succeed in Massachusetts are found, upon trial, to be 

 unieliable here. Among these we may mention the Bartlett as a 

 notable instance. This, although not strictly a fruit of the highest 

 quality, is the most popular in market and the most extensively 

 grown for profit. This is due to the early and abundant bearing 

 and vigorous growth of the tree, and the size, beauty, melting 

 flesh and syrupy juice of the fruit ; to which we may add that even 

 the half grown fruit, windfalls or thinnings, will ripen well in the 

 house ; and there the tree is suflScieutly hardy, also, in ordinary 

 seasons, although it suffers in bad ones ; but, unfortunately, it is not 

 80 hardy with us, and will succeed only in very favorable locations. 



In order to be worthy of general cultivation, a pear should pos- 

 sess a certain combination of requisites. First of all, in this cli- 

 mate, it must be hardy enough to withstand severe winters ; next, 

 we desire productiveness, vigorous growth, a healthy constitu- 

 tion, and adaptation to a variety of soils, in the tree, and it is well 

 also if it be not too tardy in fruiting. . In the fruit we desire fine 

 flavor, size, beauty, and good keeping qualities. Out of the thous- 

 and or more of varieties which have been introduced in the last thir- 

 ty years, there are few in which all these are found in a desirable 

 degree. One is lacking in this, another in that ; a great many are 

 wanting in a majority of these requisites.' In proportion as they 

 prevail, or are missing, is the value of any given variety for gene- 

 ral cultivatiorl. Practically, it is found that hardiness, vigor and 

 productiveness in the tree, connected with tolerably good quality 

 of fruit, are of greater value than superior flavor connected with de- 

 ficiency in the other requisites. For home use, some varieties may 

 be very desirable and almost indispensable on account of exquisite 

 quality, while from small size or unattractive appearance in the 



