SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 421 



Two families here divided the yield of some trees of Nelis and Lawrence. 

 The one family find them the extreme of fine flavor and juicy deliciousness; 

 the other can't find anything good in them; but they allowed them to 

 shrivel before ripening, and took no pains to aid them. Most summer pears 

 require to be used just as soon as ripe, decay and loss of flavor setting in 

 even more immediately at that warm season. Pear trees are eminently worth 

 planting if on healthy seedling stocks. They are more regular in bearing 

 than apples are, but they are no substitute for apples in culinary use. 



Best Dozen Pears. — E. P. Powell takes, from his experience, a dozen of 



the best pears and gives short descriptions which are interesting, and the 



comments are certainly as juicy as the pears : 



.1. Tyson. — This is a delicious fruit, of good size and a great bearer. The 

 fruit is soft eating and juicy and full of quality. There are seldom any de- 

 fective pears on the tree, 'even when loaded. The tree is a rapid and stout 

 grower, of a rather upright tendency, and has always a healthy look. With 

 me it has never blighted. Its season is August. 



2. Clapp's Favorite. — This is a large, handsome, noble fruit, of very fine 

 quality when picked early. I know of no one of the best pears, however, 

 that needs more discretion as to picking than this. I have gathered them 

 too early, when they withered and were useless. I have gathered them too 

 late, and had them rot at the core. The Clapp is so showy as to be a capital 

 market fruit, as well as exceedingly fine for dessert. Its season is about the 

 tenth to twentieth of September. 



3. The Bartlett, which ripens in this latitude the last of September, and 

 sometimes earlier. — It is in good keeping for a month and will be all right 

 whether picked five days sooner or five later. 



4. Lucrative. — A most juicy, rich pear. The tree is inclined to overbear, 

 and, unless watched when young, it will so overwork as to stop its growth. 

 When properly cared for, the tree is very shapely and vigorous. The fruit 

 is, greenish yellow in color and not a profitable variety for market. Its de- 

 licious sweetness suits many people better than the spice of the Bartlett. 

 Season through September. 



5. Howell. — This is a noble pear, beautiful, large, vigorous, and doing 

 well on either standard or quince. My experience with it has been wholly 

 in Michigan, on lighter soil than that I am now planting in ; but I believe it 

 to be worthy of a place in the first dozen. 



6. Seckel. — This standard of excellence needs no description. The tree is 

 a slow grower and needs abundant feeding. The shape of the tree is globu- 

 lar and dense in foliage and limbs. It is never a large tree. The fruit 

 keeps admirably till about the middle of October, sometimes later. 



7. Sheldon. — This is noblest Roman of them all. I prefer it to the Seckel, 

 and have taken the first premium at three State fairs on it, above all com- 

 petitors. Picked early in September, it will keep in a cool, dry cellar 

 through October. It is exceedingly rich, flowing with fragrant juice, and 

 suits everybody. The fruit is very large, very heavy, and the tree is very 

 productive. It prefers good feeding, but does well anywhere. It takes to 

 all soil, and even the smallest pear is high flavored. You can never over- 

 praise the Sheldon. 



