74 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



FRUITS. 



ESSEX. 

 [From the Keport of the Committee on Pears.] 



The pear we believe to be the favorite fruit of to-day ; and 

 we recommend to any one setting out trees for profit, to de- 

 vote as much land, at least, to the raising of pears as he does 

 to his apple-orchard ; for we consider it, when not grown in 

 too many varieties, and only of those varieties that are 

 adapted to the soil, to be the most profitable crop that can 

 be raised. 



Your Committee noticed in the exhibition hall, that, while 

 the fruit of some exliibiters was very fine, the same varieties 

 by others were greatly inferior; and, as each is likely to 

 show his best fruit, others in the county have, without 

 doubt, the same varieties entirely unfit for exhibition. 



To enable your Committee to ascertain the practical ex- 

 perience of the different fruit-growers in raising their pears, 

 that the information might be reported to the society, the 

 following questions were sent to each exliibiter, as also, with 

 slight alteration, to members of the Committee, and a few 

 of the other fruit-growers who made no exhibit this year of 

 their pears ; viz., 1. What different varieties of pears did 

 you exhibit at the county fair at Lawrence? Indicate on 

 what kind of tree raised, by marking S for standard, or D 

 for dwarf,, over each variety. 2. What kind of soil? 3. 

 Subsoil? 4. How often is soil enriched? 5. What with? 

 6. How much do you prune, and when ? 7. Have your trees 

 been troubled with the blight or insects ? 8. If so, what 

 remedy have you tried ? With what success ? 9. What are 

 the most profitable trees to set out, — standards, or dwarfs ? 

 10. Why ? 11. When do you pick your different varieties of 

 pears? 12. How long afterwards are they ripe for eating? 

 13. How do you keep them best and longest ? 14. What 



