EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 177 



PEARS. 



Late in March, pear trees, with the exception of a few rows, were sprayed with 

 copper sulphate, one pound to fifteen gallons of water. On May 1 the trees omitted 

 in the first spraying were given an application of Bordeaux mixture. The object of 

 this variation in treatment was to test the relative value of spraying with copper 

 sulphate solution while the buds are dormant and spraying with Bordeaux mixture 

 just as the buds are about to open. No difference could be detected in favor of either 

 line of treatment during the season. After the fruit had set the trees were auain 

 sprayed, Bordeaux mixture and Paris green being used. Neither insects nor fungi 

 proved troublesome during the season. Nearly all varieties of bearing age yielded 

 some fruit, and in the case of quite a number of kinds the yield amounted to a good 

 <3rop. 



On August 4, and again two weeks later, one tree each of Bartlett and Clapps 

 Favorite was sprayed with liver of sulphur (one ounce to four gallons of water), to see 

 if the color of the fruit could be heightened by the use of this solution. Trees of the 

 same varieties were left untreated to serve as checks. Some of the fruit was also 

 ■dipped in the solution at intervals of two or three days for about three weeks. When 

 the fruit had ripened, that of sprayed trees and specimens dipped were compared 

 with fruit untreated. No difference in color which could be attributed to the use of 

 liver of sulphur was detected. 



The following varieties fruited here this season for the first time: 



Bartlett Seckel. — Fruit small to medium, oblong pyriform ; cavity none : stalk one 

 inch long, slender; basin shallow, slightly corrugated; calyx open, lobes erect; color 

 light yellow with handsome red cheek; flesh white, melting, slightly granular; quality 

 very good; season first to middle of October. The tree is an upright, vigorous grower, 

 ■with stout, reddish bro\vn shoots. 



Hardy. — Medium size, obovate, with a slight cavity and a stalk about one inch 

 long: basin shallow, regular; calyx open, lobes upright; refiexed at tips; calyx tube 

 <>up-shaped ; flesh white, juicy, buttery, melting, fine grained : season late September 

 and early October; quality very good. The trees which have been planted eleven years 

 are upright and vigorous in growth. 



Longworth. — Trees upright, vigorous, with dull yellowish shoots. Fruit medium, 

 obovate turbinate; stalk one inch long, moderately stout; basin broad, shallow; calyx 

 open or partly open; color light waxen yellow, sprinkled with small russet dots: flesh 

 white, lacking in juice, firm, breaking coarse and granular; flavor sweet; highly per- 

 fumed: quality poor; season middle of September. Does not appear to be of value here. 



Superfin. — An old French variety valued as a dessert sort. Fruit large, roundish, 

 inclined to pyriform ; stalk one and one-half inches long, curved ; calyx open, segments 

 recurved: cavity none; basin deep, rather abrupt: color greenish yellow, slightly rus- 

 seted and thickly dotted with small gray dots; flesh white, very juicy, melting, fine 

 grained; quality very good; season October. Tree upright, with a compact head; young 

 wood yellowish brown %vith prominent buds. 



Wilder. — Tree upright, vigorous, rather a tardy bearer here. Fruit medium to 

 large, obtuse pyriform to obovate, stalk one inch long, rather stout, set in a narrow, 

 russeted cavity; basin broad plaited: cah'x closed, lobes enlarged and fleshv nt base; 

 color greenish yellow with light red cheek in exposed specimens; flesh white, tender, half 

 fine, rather dry; quality rather low, season middle of August. If productive, this 

 variety may have some value as an early market sort on account of size and good 

 appearance. 



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