94 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Abbott; on standard and dwarf trees, Beurre d'Anjou, 

 Urbaniste, Rostiezer, Doj^ennd d'Et^, Belle Lucrative, and 

 Vicar of Winkfield. 



My soil, most of it, is strong clayey loam, part is good 

 sandy or gravelly loam ; but the first is best. The subsoil is 

 gravel, with a little clay. The soil is enriched once in three 

 years, on an average. I would like to enrich every year 

 on the surface, in the fall, with any kind of manure. I pre- 

 fer to prune a little every year in summer, say in June ; 

 though early in spring is a very good season. We have 

 sometimes seen a very little of the blight, but not often : we 

 have cut away and destroyed any diseased tree, or branch of 

 a tree. The " slug " sometimes troubles young trees. These 

 can be easih^ destroyed by dusting them with a little dry 

 ashes or air-slaked lime. No other insect troubles our pear- 

 trees to any extent. For the most profitable pear-trees to 

 set out, I should generally prefer standards, and should 

 recommend them to my customers, because they are hardy, 

 and will last longer under ordinary cultivation. The dwarf 

 pear, especially on the quince, is very liable to be killed in 

 the root, and is short-lived generally. I pick the summer 

 and fall varieties one or two weeks before they are ripe. The 

 winter varieties we leave on the trees as long as possible, or 

 till there is danger of freezing. It depends upon the 

 weather and circumstances, how long after picking they are 

 ripe enough for eating. We keep them best and longest in 

 a cool, dr}^ place, in thin layers. Winter pears should be 

 barrelled up, and put in a cool, dry cellar. 



The ten varieties recommended for profit by me are Bart- 

 lett, Lawrence, Beurre d'Anjou, Sheldon, Belle Lucrative, 

 Beurre Bosc, Duchesse, Louise Bonne de Jersey, Bloodgood, 

 and Seckel, in the order named ; because these are the most 

 hardy, productive, and popular in the market. 



[Reply of Aaron Low of Essex.] 



The soil on which they were grown was rather heavy loam, 

 with a clay subsoil, enriched yearly around small trees, and 

 every other year around larger trees, with stable-manure, 

 ashes, and bone-dust. 



