STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 161 



Garber is, perhaps, a better pear. I used to think so sure, but I 

 am not so sure now. The Leconte I am disappointed in, in one 

 respect. It was said to be free from blight, but in that respect 

 it is the worst I have had. So far as winter is concerned I found 

 them perfectly hardy. It is not a pear of Southern origin. It was 

 started in Pennsylvania and taken to Georgia and then brought 

 back here. It is hardy if grown in the right place ; that is in the 

 right latitude. 



Mr. Dennis — Do you know anything about the Idaho? 



Mr. Riehl — I have tasted it, and I think it is a pear of excellent 

 quality. 



Mr. Shank — I have had some experience with the Leconte, 

 and to make a long story short, it is not worth anything. In 

 relation to the Keifer, it is a poor grower, and has a tendency to 

 overbear. For bearing and for quality it is about like the Ben 

 Davis for an apple. I have had some experience with pears. I 

 planted an orchard of them about sixteen years ago, and many 

 of them are standing yet, and have borne for twelve years. I 

 made the assertion once that to get anything out of the Lucretia 

 dew-berry you had to take it where it is adapted to the con- 

 ditions, and I say so yet. One of those is, it must be on poor 

 ground. Two years in succession I have had the Pocklington 

 and they have rotted. 



Mr. Thomas — I have been growing pears a number of years 

 and I don't put anything on the trees. I just plant them on the 

 east side of a wall where they get no afternoon sun, and they do> 

 not blight. I tack them right up fast to the wall. 



Mr. Dennis — We must remember that Mr. Thomas is very pecu- 

 liarly situated between the Mississippi and Wyaconda rivers, and 

 thus has low ground on two sides to draw off the moisture and 

 prevent rot. I believe that the Keifer as a dwarf is not practi- 

 cable, but if you want to plant it as a dwarf, plant it deep. 

 I have it and it has grown eight or ten feet in the last two 

 years. 



Mr. Riehl — The fact of the matter is, that with these varieties 



the wood is of such a different structure to the quince, that 



they do not unite well with the quince stock. If you will first go 



and put on a pear that unites as well with the quince stock and 



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