J 857.] Dwarf Pear Culture. 77 



table, as in the animal kingdom. The likeness between a Pear stock 

 and a Quince, is about as near as that of a man and a monkey. 



Mr. Downing sums up, in his work on Fruits by saying that, " The 

 average life of the Pear when grafted on the Quince, is reduced from 

 fifty years — its ordinary duration on the Pear stock, to about a doz- 

 en years." So, you will not fail to observe, that even in his day, 

 their popularity began vastly to wane and subside. Since then, ob- 

 servation and experience, except perhaps in certain quarters, have 

 almost entirely thrown them overboard. The President of the 

 'Ohio Pomological Society,' at their convention in Cleveland, last 

 January, said, 'He could not go into this work with that enthusiasm 

 some manifest. He had looked with much interest to the results 

 of Messrs. Parsons' experiments, but he had understood with much 

 regret that they had proved a failure.' This is what that gentle- 

 man thought some months ago, with respect to Dwarf Pears. If his 

 mind has undergone a change since that time, I am perfectly willing 

 to give him the benefit of that change. A wise man changes his 

 opinions ; a fool, never. 



You will be told by Mr. Buchanan, and others, that thoy can 

 show a few very handsome Dwarf Pear Trees, not more than four or 

 five feet high, containing upon each some five or six beautiful Pears. 

 I have no doubt of this. Jeffreys saw the same thing in the nur- 

 sery rows when he made his purchases. I saw the same when I 

 purchased mine ; but, the great misfortune is, we never saw them af- 

 terwards ! I admit that when trees are very young, some varieties 

 will be thrifty, and give a slight show of fruit. But the difiiculty 

 is, their tale is soon told. Life to them is a mere shadow, and like 

 a brief candle, soon goes out ; if it be not already flickering, when 

 you buy your trees. 



Mr. F. M. Mears, of Salem, had fifty Dwarfs, which he set out 

 some six or seven years ago, and had the same encouragement of 

 these gentlemen, for the first two or three years. Their glory how- 

 ever, soon departed, and he has now scarcely a tree left to help 

 him sing a requiem over the remains of their sad fate. This is the 

 kind of property which you will be asked to indorse, gentlemen, 

 with your votes, when the question comes up for final action. It 

 matters not to me, personally, one way or the other, how you vote, 

 so it be understandingly done, and that you send forth sentiments 

 not at variance with truth and justice. I have nothing at stake, 

 further than to maintain the character and veracity of this Society, 



