408 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Report of the Committee on the Cultivation of Pears. 



There is probably no fruit tree varying more in its culture 

 upon diiferent soils and in its growth, than the pear. Each 

 variety we may say has a peculiarity of its own, hence the Bart- 

 lett will assimilate to itself materials for an abundant crop in 

 almost all good soils, while the Beurre d'Aremberg, Diel, Wil- 

 kinson and Lewis, require a strong and deep soil to produce 

 well-developed fruit. It is hardly possible for any one individual 

 to decide upon this desideratum in the culture of this fruit ; 

 hence the necessity of an interchange of opinions among the 

 most experienced of our cultivators, to arrive at a knowledge of 

 these important facts. 



I have said that each variety has a peculiar character, either 

 in its growth, or the production of its fruit. Tliere are some 

 varieties which bear the largest and best fruit upon young trees ; 

 for example, the Flemish Beauty ; while the Glout Morceau 

 requires years of bearing before it will develop fine fruit. There 

 are others which bear the best fruit when worked upon our 

 largest standards ; others are more productive and finer upon 

 the quince root — such as the Duchess d'Angouleme and Louis 

 Bon d' Jersey. 



A want of knowledge of these peculiarities, accounts for the 

 various and conflicting statements made at the pomological con- 

 ventions. This peculiarity of soil was strongly exemplified at 

 one of these meetings, wherein two cultivators living within 

 twenty miles of each other, both of their gardens being exposed 

 to the sea with similar aspects, were diametrically opposite in 

 their opinions- of the Napoleon pear, one testifying that with him 

 it was very poor in quality and a shy bearer ; the other, that its 

 peculiar quality was never surpassed, and that it was an abun- 

 dant bearer. From our own experience of this variety, we have 

 found it poor and astringent in a warm, sandy loam, while upon 

 a strong and retentive clayey one it has been very fine. We 

 have also found that the Belle Lucrative as a fall pear, and the 

 Bloodgood as a summer fruit, when grown in a warm and loamy 

 soil, to be first rate. 



There are but few varieties which are equally good in all soils 

 proper for the pear ; the diversity of soil and culture necessary 

 for some varieties, must influence cultivators in forming a list ; 



