420 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE 



I believe. It was thoroughly underdraiued with tile, and in 

 addition, large holes were dug three and four feet across, and 

 clear through the hardpan. Standards were set twenty feet 

 apart, and alternated with dwarfs, and a full row of dwarfs 

 between standard rows and on either side, making them stand 

 ten feet distant, mostly set to one-year trees. Standards and 

 dwarfs trained alike, with low heads. 



Now for the result. All the dwarfs that have done well, 

 that are healthy and vigorous, are, practically, to-day stand- 

 ards, having pear roots in abundance; while those that have 

 not made such roots are in a most suggestive state of decline* 



This is not a matter of speculation and supposition, but of 



. critical examination, and I have no doubt but the majority, if 



not all the healthy productive, so-called, dwarf pear trees in 



the West, at least, would give abundant evidence, if consulted, 



of the truth of this statement. 



A few years since I had occasion to move one row of ten 

 trees. They were the Beurre d'Anjou, and, when planted, on 

 the quince root. All of these, but one, had pear roots, and 

 were healthy, vigorous trees. The one had failed to make 

 pear roots, and remained stunted and weak. It is a very easy 

 matter to tell whether a tree has pear roots, or only those of 

 the quince, by merely taking hold of it. In the former case 

 it will be found firmly braced, while in the latter it will indi- 

 cate a manifest want of lateral support. 



That my experience, if counted in any wise positive, may 

 not be attributed to the selection of any particular variety or 

 varieties, I will give a list of the leading sorts : Bsurre d'An- 

 jou, Louise Boune, White Doyenne, Bartlett, Beurre Diel, 

 Bufiam, Winter Vitis, Beurre Eastes, Lawrence, Seckel, Duch- 

 esse, Onondaga, Sheldon, Clapp's Favorite, etc. 



I find a great difference in varieties in their tendency to root 

 from the pear, — some few, like the Duchesse, refusing almost 

 entirely to do so; consequently, not a tree out of a dozen of 

 this variety has been successful, — all failing to make a healthy 

 growth and to bear fruit to any ex tent. 



