185'7.] Dwarf Pears. 173 



some of which are from fifteen to twenty years of age, but as it will 

 occupy, herhaps, too much time to examine all of them, we will take 

 one walk as an example. How delighted Mr. S. must be to see 220 

 pear trees, 110 on each side, loaded with their luscious fruit, only 

 eight or nine years planted, and all independently on the quince 

 root. The product of those trees in 1855, was twenty barrels — in 

 1856 twenty-five barrels. The highest price obtained was twenty 

 dollars per barrel, the lowest eight dollars. Then we can call on 

 Mr. Stickney and look at his " dwarf' pear trees. We shall see 

 some magnificent specimens of Urbanistes and Louise Bonne de 

 Jerseys.. The crop of the latter he sold the last season at ten dol- 

 lars per bushel. Then we will go to Mr. Manning's, who has some 

 pear trees on the quince of very large size, being from thirty to 

 forty years old, and which " still live," and produce annual crops. 

 Then we will pursue our journey and call on Mr. Cabot, the Presi- 

 dent of the Mass. Horticultural Society, Messrs. Bacon, Downer, 

 Richardson, Johnson, and others who have splendid collections of 

 " dioarf" pear trees, which have been ^'- j^lantcd ten years.'''' By this 

 time Mr. Stoms will be satisfied whether " life to them is a mere 

 shadow and like a brief candle soon goes out;" and having seen 

 thus much of the " ahsurdity of exuberant bearing," perhaps will be 

 able to '■'■jump at conclusions without practical experience," be will- 

 ing to " bloviate," " veer round," and without any more allusions 

 to "moonshine theories," and " humbugs," acknowledge that who- 

 ever else is to " hack out.,'" it is not the cultivators of Massachusetts. 



As my object has been to 'hrmg practical experience to bear on this 

 subject, I can not close this article without adding a few extracts 

 from the remarks of the celebrated Mr. Berckmans, formerly of 

 Belgium, but now of New Jersey. He has spent a long life in the 

 study of pomology, and his opinions, are therefore, worthy of confi- 

 dence. To the question, " Will quince- grafted pears succeed?" he 

 replies : 



" I have no hesitation in replying. Yes, they will, and often bet- 

 ter than on pear stock ; and they are less subject to blight. I know 

 that I do not agree with the opinions of my late friends, Van Mons 

 and EsPEREN, who never would admit a quince stock in their exper- 

 imental gardens. I respect their memory, but can not help consid- 

 ering their opinions as a prejudice. They had not found out the 

 good quince stock, and perhaps did not know how to plant quince- 

 grafted trees. I myself did not know it then. At present, my best 



