MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 237 



aOOD WINTER PEARS. 



Good winter pears every one enjoys, and yet they are little grown, 

 and therefore but little known. My choice for five would be Lawrence, 

 Jones, Anjou, Winter Nelis and Josephine de Malines. I have never 

 understood why our late friend Downing should have placed Jones in 

 the list of pears ripening- in October, as I have rarely found it in good 

 eating condition until late in November and December, and it keeps 

 into January. The above list is named for family use, and "no well- 

 regulated fruit-eating family should be without these sorts." Just 

 here another question suggests itself to my mind, whether there should 

 not be more care exercised and more discrimination used between those 

 varieties designed for market purposes and those intended for home 

 use. 



The much-abused Kieffer again heads the list of late fall pears for 

 profitable culture in the commercial orchard. It is possible that this 

 variety finds elements in the superior pear soil of Ontario county, well 

 adapted to develop its best qualities, but the fact remains "that the 

 practical fruit-grower can find more dollars in it than in any other 

 variety grown here." A prominent fruit-dealer in one of our eastern 

 cities says : "It certainly is growing in favor every year, and sells well.'^ 

 One hundred dwarf Duchess, two years top-budded, one year after 

 planting, gave this season a product of Kieffer which sold for $100. 

 This, certainly, is no mean comment on its value as an orchard tree. 



Josephine de Malines is, to my taste, the best winter pear we have 

 ripening in the months of January and February, and should be more 

 universally grown by those desirous of a fine pear during these months. 

 The quality of the fruit is not best when grown on a young tree, but it 

 seems to improve as the tree becomes older, which is likewise true 

 regarding many other varieties. 



No good, well- matured, fine pears, however, can be grown without 

 good culture. By this I do not mean the application of a surplus of 

 barnyard manure, but I do mean the frequent stirring of the soil with 

 the cultivator or harrow, or both, so as to keep the weeds down and 

 the soil in condition to promote a healthy growth of wood and fruit , 

 and if this is supplemented by the application of wood ashes and bone- 

 meal from time to time, less complaint will be heard about scabby 

 and imperfect fruit. With the apphcation of more intelligence as to the 

 varieties, their character and wants, and better methods of handling, 

 there is no good reason why we should not have fine winter pears on 

 our tables through the larger portion of the winter months. — S. D. WiL- 

 LARD, Geneva. 



