REPORTS OF DISTRICT AND LOCAL SOCIETIES. 341 



the subject to state his views. As to what soil to choose, he said it was 

 not advisable to plant a pear orchard on low grounds; high, rolling, and 

 rich ground was the best. If it was underlaid with non-porous subsoil, no 

 fruit trees should be planted with the expectation of raising fruit at a 

 profit. Altitude and a warm, rich, friable soil are necessary. As to what 

 variety to plant, he said great care should be exercised in the selection of 

 trees. He thought pears more profitable than apples, one year with 

 another. A tree of the Bartlett variety will bear one and one half bushels. 

 Bartlett and Seckel were standard varieties, and no one could go far amiss 

 who selected these varieties. True, there were many varieties, but he 

 advised all to go slow on new varieties. " If I were planting an orchard 

 of 1,500 trees I would plant 100 of the Sheldon variety, as they ripen 

 early, and if well cared for are good bearers." Flemish Beauty is highly 

 recommended by some, but unless the soil is highly adapted to pear-grow- 

 ing, he would nat advise the planting of any of them. 



Mr. Lannin said he would set out 1,000 Bartletts in an orchard of 1,500 

 trees. The great fault noticed with the Sheldon is that they are " shy 

 growers." The Anjou is a spreading, handsome tree. The fruit is late 

 fall or early winter. They are hardy and prolific bearers, the fruit keeps 

 well, but is not highly flavored. He would plant 200 trees. The Seckel 

 is a nice, well-flavored, small pear, but he would plant a few. The Law- 

 rence is almost as good as the Seckel, bat is a slow grower; still, it bears 

 well on arriving at " years of discretion." 



After naming and giving the characteristics of a number of varieties of 

 pear, he spoke of the Bosc as his favorite; said it was a finely flavored 

 fruit, and showy. The tree presents a rather mean appearance and is 

 rather tender than otherwise. He would by all means plant a few — per- 

 haps thirty — trees. He believed in fertilizing; thinks horse manure the 

 best, and never uses commercial fertilizers. There are about 1,200 varie- 

 ties of pear, and out of this number there are only about a dozen varieties 

 that can be profitably grown here. He had tried spraying with London 

 purple for the codlin moth and curculio, and when he diluted one pound 

 with 100 gallons of water he destroyed the leaves. Good results were 

 obtained by diluting to the extent of 250 gallons of water to one pound of 

 London purple. 



A somewhat general and very interesting discussion followed, during 

 which the fact developed that two-year-old trees taken from the nursery 

 did best, and that seemed the best age for transplanting. The young trees 

 should be trimmed to a stick and set shallow, twenty feet apart. The best 

 time for trimming is early in July. 



" What size and form of fruit package shall we use, and how can we 

 secure uniformity?" The discussion was led by J. A. Pearce, Grand 

 Rapids, on the part of the fruitgrowers, and by Alfred J. Brown from 

 the standpoint of the commission men. 



A number of baskets were displayed. Mr. Pearce first spoke of the 

 evolution which had taken place in the packages used in marketing of 

 fruit. He favored uniformity and thought some action looking to uni- 

 formity should be taken. 



Mr. Brown gave his experience with packages used in shipping peaches. 

 The cover should be so constructed as to be quickly put on and easily 

 taken off. He recommended a nine-pound grape basket in preference to 

 any other size. He knows that some of the seven-pound packages were 

 sold as nine-pound packages. He thinks that Michigan peaches should be 



