30 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



In planting an) r considerable number of trees for orchard 

 culture, regard should be had to the season of ripening, and to 

 the time the variety will keep in a marketable condition. For 

 summer pears the Rostiezer is among the best, as also Beurre 

 Clifford and perhaps the Brandy wine. For fall, we should take 

 from the Louise Bonne do Jersey, Duchesse, Seckcl, Urbaniste, 

 Beurre d'Anjou and Beurre Langlier. For winter, Lawrence, 

 Winter Nelis and Vicar of Winkfield. Many sorts, that only a 

 few years since were placed among the first to cultivate, are 

 now entirely discarded. Such are the Beurre Diel, Dix, Beurre 

 Easter, and by many the Flemish Beauty. 



With regard to apple orchards, we think with a favorable 

 winter this year we may hope to recover somewhat our confi- 

 dence in this important branch of husbandry. Various reasons 

 have been assigned as the causes of failure of the crop for the 

 last few years. There is no doubt that a combination of causes 

 produced the result. A combination of hard winters, followed 

 by very dry summers, appears to be the most reasonable theory 

 that has as yet been advanced. If this is correct we may 

 reasonably hope to have a good crop of apples the coining year, 

 and that we shall again enjoy the sight of our orchards loaded 

 with this golden fruit. 



• For the Committee, 



J. Cummings, Jr., Chairman. 



k Statement of John R. Poor. 



Gentlemen : — In reply to yours, asking me to give you my 

 mode of cultivating a pear orchard, time of planting, distance, 

 and varieties best adapted to general cultivation, manner and 

 mode of tillage, I will here say : First, that in cultivating my 

 pear orchards I have applied various modes, and after experi- 

 menting for twenty years, am fully satisfied that the only true 

 way is by first having the land prepared for two years before a 

 tree is set. The land should be well worked and highly 

 manured, even if the soil be rich ; the second year it should be 

 subsoiled, say eighteen to twenty-four inches deep, which can 

 be done as well with a plough and much cheaper than with a 

 spade, and if the land be low, wet or has springs near the 

 surface, it should be well undcrdrained. 



