ORCHARDS. 35 



Varieties, Early Chelmsford, Early York, Early Washington, 

 [res' Early Melocoton, New York Rareripe, Early Crawford, 

 Lincoln, Smith's Favorite, Old Mixon, (freestone,) Bergen's 

 Yellow, Lemon Rareripe and Late Crawford. 



Westford, September 1, 18GG. 



WORCESTER NORTH. 



From the Report of the Committee on Pear Orchards. 



But one orchard was entered for premium — that of Dr. 

 Thomas Palmer, situated on Summer Street, in Fitchburg. The 

 duties of this Committee, therefore, were not burdensome, and 

 we very readily came to the conclusion to award to Dr. Palmer 

 the highest premium offered by the society. We found in this 

 orchard many tilings to commend — the location, preparation of 

 the land, plan and order of setting, the varieties, manure, trim- 

 ming, &c. We recommend a careful reading of the statement 

 of Dr. Palmer to those who are interested in this department of 

 fruit-growing. We believe that he deserves much praise for 

 having carried out so faithfully his plan for a good pear orchard, 

 and only hope that it may be an incentive for others to com- 

 mence a similar good work. Who does not like a well-ripened, 

 delicious pear — an Early Summer, Bartlett, Seckel, Flemish 

 Beauty, Louise Bonne de Jersey ? All doubtless admire the 

 beauty of fine trees and the luxury of good fruit, yet but few 

 who can do so are willing to put forth the necessary exertion 

 and painstaking to raise it. The idea may have been somewhat 

 prevalent that raising pears was to be attempted only by a few, 

 and that the pear could not come into general cultivation, like 

 the apple. This, we believe, is not correct. The pear tree is as 

 hardy in New England as the apple tree, and for the past five 

 years the raising of pears in Massachusetts has been quite as 

 profitable as raising apples, requiring no more care than ought 

 to be given to other fruits in this climate. 



Your Committee would recommend setting out good pear 

 trees, and no other. It certainly does not pay to set poor trees. 

 Look at the roots and the healthfulness of the bark, which will 

 tell whether the tree is two years old, or has been rejected over 

 and over by good judges, and finally packed off to be sold to 

 new beginners. Without doubt thousands of such trees have 

 been sold by travelling dealers in this vicinity, that were worth- 



