422 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



8. Onondaga. — This pear sometimes, on light soil, is slightly astringent; 

 but with me here it is simply superb. The fruit is of the largest, uniformly 

 so, and colors a rich lemon yellow. The shape is roundish, and rarely ever 

 is there an unshaped specimen. The quality is juicy and vinous. The tree 

 is a noble grower, equally upright and spreading, and bears most abundant- 

 ly. Season, October, although it may be gathered by the 20th of September. 



9. Clairgeau. — This is the handsomest pear in the list. It is extra large 

 and of a superb rich yellow and red color. The tree with me is a stiff, un- 

 gainly, upright form, but bears very heavy loads. This variety, also, must 

 be watched when young, to prevent it from overbearing, to the permanent 

 detriment of the trees. The Clairgeau will be fit to pick the last of Sep- 

 tember to the 15th of October, and will keep in a cool cellar or dry, cool 

 room till the last of November. The quality with me is excellent. 



10. Anjou. — This is the best of all market fruits, and hardly second of all 

 dessert fruits. The tree is an ideal in form, conical and spreading, and a 

 very rapid grower. The flavor of the fruit is rich, melting, and refreshing. 

 You may easily preserve the D' Anjou until December. For size and beauty 

 it is almost unequalled, and the same for quality. 



11. Lawrence. — I should not plant this variety as freely as formerly, but, 

 ripening in December and January, it is not to be, as yet, displaced. The 

 tree is a good grower and productive; the pears only of medium size and de- 

 cidedly of the sweet varieties. 



12. I judge that the Jones should take this place; but cannot do more 

 than take the testimony of others on this point. It is not a large pear, but 

 is of excellent quality and ripens in January. 



13. The baker's dozen must be completed with Josephine de Malines. 

 This is a late winter fruit, of really fine quality. The tree is not a hand- 

 some grower, but bears good crops. I have until lately held to the Arem- 

 berg for late winter; but it is not a reliable pear as to shape and quality. 

 The tree is, however, a good grower, and has an acid very refreshing to my- 

 self and to most others. On the wLole, it is hardly worth while to plant it. 



Of the whole list, only three have any tendency to blight. These are 

 Claj)p's, Bartlett, and Onondaga. I should grow Clapp's and Onondaga in 

 grass, but well mulched. Bartlett needs generous culture. No pear tree 

 will do decently well without mulching and a good deal of it. Use coal 

 ashes spread out for them to five feet and three or four inches thick; also 

 sawdust, that has first been run through the stable for bedding. 



Market Pears. — Notwithstanding the great progress which has been 

 made in the cultivation of fine pears through the country, and the increase 

 of intelligence as to their quality, by a large portion of the people, there is 

 still abundant room for farther improvement. Fine appearance and showy 

 exterior usually go farther in the market than delicious quality. The Anjou, 

 which President Wilder places at the head of the list for excellence, has not 

 sold for nearly so high a price as the Clairgeau, the latter being a beautiful 

 iruit, and often of quite poor quality. A dealer remarked to us, that if we 

 •could only give the Anjou a red cheek, it would become a most profitable 

 sort to raise. There is one exception to these remarks — the Seckel, although 

 not showy, has been so long and so widely known, that it sells as well as other 



