PROCEEDINGS OF THE WINTER MEETING. 35 



excited the curiosity and admiration of the women. One of these was 

 particularly demonstrative. She with the rest had gathered around Mr. 

 Reynolds with many expressions of deligh-t. " Oh the pretty flower!" she 

 said, " O the pretty flower! Forme? for me?" And while chattering in 

 this winsome way (she was very pretty) she had taken out of Mr. 

 Reynolds' hand the finest flowers of the lot. A striking feature was the 

 remarkable beauty of the funeral decorations offered for sale. Here, too, 

 everything was sold by the pound. Tomatoes were 3 to 5 cents, mush- 

 rooms 6 to 10, beans 3, 5, and 7, peas 6, Fameuse apples (tine and of French 

 production) 1 cent; grapes, not of extra quality, and it was the height of 

 the season, 10 to 14 cents; pears 6 cents, cress 2, strawberries 24, potatoes 

 2, celery 1 to 2, cabbages 3 to 4, radishes 2 cents for a bunch of 35, 

 peaches 5 cents each, eggplants 2 cents each. 



In Basle the market is ten rods square, and the salesmen's spaces are 

 marked off in squares with red paint on the floor. 



In most foreign markets the consumers come directly in contact with the 

 producers. Such things as our suburban corner groceries are unknown, 

 and householders have to go on market days and buy supplies sufficient 

 till the next one. At most there are but three classes, the truckers, 

 hucksters, and consumers. It must be irksome to go so far to market, 

 both for the buyer and seller, and our middleman system is a decided 

 improvement. 



The butter, in Europe is never salted. It is cut off in a chunk for the 

 buyer, wrapped in paper, and laid in the basket beside the rank cheese 

 or other contents — and the cheese is pretty sure to be there. 



The proceedings were enlivened by a song and a poem, the latter by Mr. 

 U. B. Webster, an amusing recital of the experiences of pioneer days, 

 " When I was a boy, with head like tow." 



These were followed by a paper by Mr. D. G. Edmiston of Adrian, on 



CULTIVATION OF THE PEAR. 



After having consented to write a paper on the above subject, I find 

 myself greatly at a loss to know how to write for an audience with whom 

 I am little acquainted, and for a locality with which I am not at all familiar. 

 I can only write of my experience and of such observation as I have been 

 able to make, principally in the southeast part of the state. 



LOCATION — PREPARATION OF SOIL. 



First in importance to the intending pear-grower is the selection of a 

 suitable location and soil. The location should l3e elevated and well drained, 

 either naturally or artificially, and a good strong clay soil or clay loam is 

 to be preferred. Yet a gravelly or sandy soil with clay subsoil will often 

 give good results. 



For family use I would plant on the best soil and situation I could com- 

 mand, but for a market orchard, if I could not command a satisfactory soil 

 and location, I would not plant, for I believe there is no other fruit grown 

 in this country for which it is so essential to have just the right soil and 

 situation as the pear, and the man who plants without these favorable con 

 ditions will usually come to grief in the end. 



