110 STATF, POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



NEW PEARS. PLUMS AXD GRAPES. 

 By D. p. True. 



Many of the fruits new in some sections are old in others ; others 

 are new only in name. In pears we have Keiffer's Hybrid, Indian 

 Queen and Eastern Belle. The two latter are natives of our own 

 State. The Eastern Belle has proved quite an acquisition, the 

 other two are very hardy and fruit well, but like the Ben Davis 

 apple lack fine quality. The improvement in new pears has not 

 been so marked in the past few years as in some other fruits. 



In plums we have the Kingston, Niagara, Weaver, Shropshire 

 Damson and Moore's Arctic ; the last in the list originated in this 

 State and is a plum of medium size and hardiness ; fruits well, but 

 lacks somewhat in quality. The Kingston and Weaver are very 

 large but have not been fully proved. 



The Shropshire Damson is somewhat larger than the common 

 Damson ; quality best, and does not rot on the tree (a very impor- 

 tant quality in the plum.) It brings the highest price in the market. 



For new grapes we have Brighton, Jefferson, Lady Washington, 

 and Moore's Early. The important point in a grape for Maine is 

 early ripening qualities, one that sweetens its fruit before our early 

 frosts. Moore's Early develops that quality the best of the list, but 

 in a season like the present (1888) even that grape in most locations 

 is little better than a failure. I think here is a profitable field for 

 our intelligent propagators. Much has been done in this direction in 

 the past twenty 3'ears with a prospect of a great advance in the next. 



Cole in his fruit book published within the memory of many of 

 the pomologists in the State does not mention any grapes that are on 

 our lists at the present time — will the same length of time produce 

 tiie same wonderful change? 



