38 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



by thus cutting the outside of the tree, the strength is not 

 expended in terminal buds, the sap is evenly distributed, and the 

 fruit-buds are thrown inward in a wonderful manner, and 

 equally scattered over the whole tree. 



TVe had hoped for a statement from Mr. "Watt, embodying his 

 system of pruning, for insertion here, which would have been 

 interesting and instructive, but have failed to obtain it. 



Mr. Billings has furnished the following particulars respecting 

 his pear trees : " I have about 825 trees. The varieties are gen- 

 erally the eighteen kinds recommended for general cultivation 

 by the Massachusetts Agricultural Club, being the best varieties 

 of early, medium and late pears. A little more than half of the 

 soil occupied by my pear trees has been spaded and drained, the 

 balance in common cultivation. The trees do the best where 

 spaded and drained. The manure used has generally been our 

 common stable manure. I have occasionally used wood ashes, 

 and sometimes a top-dressing of street scrapings, or the wash of 

 the roads." 



The Committee here insert a list of the varieties referred to 

 by Mr. Billings, as recommended by the Massachusetts Agricul- 

 tural Club, knowing of no body of men in the country better 

 qualified, from long experience and extensive and successful 

 cultivation, to recommend a list of varieties for this locality. 



List of Pears for general Cultivation, recommended by the Massachusetts 

 Agricidtural Club, January, 1867. 



BEST SIX VARIETIES. 



Bartlett, September. 



Seckel, September. 



Urbaniste, . • . . Sept. and Oct. 



Merriam Sept. anil Oct. 



Sheldon, Oct. and Nov. 



Beurre D'Anjou, . . Nov. and Dec. 



SECOXD BEST. 



Brandywine, . . 

 Doyenne Bonssoek, 

 Swan's Orange, . 



August. 



September. 



October. 



Howell, . . 

 Beurre Bosc, 

 Lawrence, . 



October. 

 Oct. and Nov. 

 December. 



THIRD BEST. 



Belle Lucrative, . . 

 Paradise D'Automne, 

 Beurre Superfin, . . 



September. 

 September. 

 Sept. and Oct. 



Maria Louise, . . 

 Beurre Clairgeau, 

 Vicar of Winkfield, 



October. 



Octobl [ . 



Decemlier. 



Milton, December G, 18G6. 



A. K. Teele, Chairman* 



