20G BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 



than the Williams in putting out, and makes a beautiful head, 

 and handsome, straight stem. We rather like it, on many 

 accounts, hut I fear it will not be profitable. I will not say it 

 is not, but I should rather give it further trial before deciding 

 that point. 



I would like to say a word or two in relation to pears. And 

 on that subject, I hardly know where to begin, because I do not 

 regard pears as a fruit which people can propagate and succeed 

 with as they do with apples ; and I am quite sure, that in the 

 north part of Middlesex County, if a farmer were to buy a 

 hundred pear trees and set them out as he docs apple trees, he 

 would be a little better off to give the money to the nursery 

 man, and leave the trees also with him. Unless he takes some 

 special pains to get the right spot of ground, and prepares it 

 with reference to the growing of pears, unless he shall have an 

 open subsoil, and protection from the high winds, and the many 

 other things which operate upon the pear tree to injure it in 

 foliage just as it puts out in the spring, he will not succeed. I 

 have tried the pear somewhat extensively, and it has been a 

 failure with me, and all^my neighbors who have tried it have 

 failed. I have noticed, that in starting in the spring, there will 

 come a windy time, and the leaves will thresh and blacken. 

 The pear opens an exceedingly tender leaf; I know nothing 

 more so. If anybody in the county is going to plant pear trees, 

 he had better do it on a limited scale. 



Mr. Ives. There is no doubt about that. 



Mr. Clement. In making your preparations to plant pears, 

 select your land where the trees will be sheltered from the wind. 

 Here allow me to say, that we have some pear growers in Lowell, 

 and in all our villages, where they make the soil. They dig a 

 trench and fill it up three or four feet deep with different kinds 

 of soil and rubbish, and a great deal of street manure, and 

 thoroughly drain, so that the roots can penetrate clear down 

 through the four feet ; and then they protect the trees by high 

 fences or the walls of buildings. There they get great pears, 

 and good ones. 



Mr. Hubijard. It was said yesterday that wo ought not to 

 trench deep, so as to induce the roots to penetrate down beyond 

 the reach of the sun ; they should be kept as much as possible 



