PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE. 75 



ten varieties are recommended by you for profit, and why ? 

 15. Give such other information as you think may be of 

 interest to others. 



The above fifteen questions were sent in such a form that 

 they could be readily answered on the same sheet. Had it 

 not been that the varieties exhibited were in most cases (as 

 should always be in all) entered upon the entry-book, it 

 would have been impossible to ascertain them, except from 

 each exhibiter afterwards. Even if a few of the questions 

 had been answered by all, it would have shown that each was 

 willing to contribute even a little to the stock of general 

 information which our society is organized to promote, and 

 which it should be considered the duty of every committee to 

 obtain, regarding the special object of which it is made 

 the judge, and report it. The mere looking at an object 

 in the pens of the fair-grounds or on the tables of the hall 

 is only a gratification to the eye. To know how the objects 

 have reached such perfection as to gratify the eye imparts 

 knowledge, that, too, of the very best kind; it being the prac- 

 tical experience of exhibiters from all parts of the county, 

 whose information of their manner of feeding, cultivating, or 

 making, to arrive at the result exhibited, is the most valua- 

 ble, and most desired by our society, and which each exhib- 

 iter should feel it a pleasure, as well as a duty, to impart 

 unsolicited, to be made use of by the Commictee in their 

 report. If the good points of such information are adopted 

 by others, it will not injure him: its only result would be to 

 raise the standard of excellence. 



Some of the replies to the questions asked are appended 

 as part of this report, and will be read with interest and in- 

 struction (especially that of Mr. John O'Brien of Bradford) ; 

 for much valuable information can be derived from them. 



The almost unanimous reply as to standard or dwarf trees 

 for profit is in favor of standards, on account of their larger 

 and thriftier growth, longer life, greater productiveness, and 

 requiring less care, being more hardy than the dwarf. The 

 Duchesse d'Angouleme is the exceptional pear: that grows 

 better on dwarf stock. There are others that produce better 

 fruit on dwarf. Dwarfs of some varieties, well cared for, 

 are good for ten or twelve years. They fruit quickly, and 

 enable the amateur to have a great variety in small space. 



