1857.] Dwarf Pears. 125 



That the introduction and cultivation of the pear upon the quince 

 has been a great blessing, I entertain no doubt, especially in gardens, 

 and in the suburbs of large towns and cities. And as to its adapta- 

 tion to the orchard, I see no reason why it should not succeed well, 

 if the soil, selection, and cultivation be appropriate. A gentleman 

 in the eastern part of Massachusetts planted, in the years 1848 and 

 1849, as many dwarf pear trees as he could set on an acre of laud at 

 the distance of eight by twelve feet, and between these rows he plant- 

 ed quince bushes. In the fifth year from planting, he gathered one 

 hundred and twenty bushels of pears, and sixty bushels of quinces. 

 Of the former, he sold seventy bushels at five to six dollars per bushel, 

 and he now informs me that he has lost only three per cent, of the 

 original trees, and that the remainder are in healthful condition. 



DWARF PEARS. 



Messes Editors : — 



I observe by your February number, that my friend Farmer Stoms, 

 is slashing away with his pruning hook at the Dwarf Fears. This 

 is all very well if he will only discriminate, and merely cut down the 

 worthless varieties — but he pronounces the wjiole 'a humbug.' Now 

 this is a bold assumption and one, against which, I ask the use of your 

 pages to enter my protest. In doing so I shall be placed, according 

 to Mr. Stoms' classification, in the catalogue of 'old fogyism,' or 

 'chilly conservatism,' and not with ' Young America' in its head long 

 race in progress and rapid jumps at conclusio'ns. I am obliged to 

 him for avTarding me so respectable a position, for with all due defer- 

 ence to that precocious bantling, ' Young America,' I have no am- 

 bition to adopt some of its modern inventions — Mormonism in relig- 

 ion ; Spiritualism in Tp\\\\o9,o^\\j ] or Fillibiisterism in T^oYitics. Nei- 

 ther do I desire to invite the great Hungarian, or any other distin- 

 guished foreigner, to interpret for me the meaning of Washington's 

 Farewell Address. So far, then, as the above whims and vagaries 

 of ' Young America,' in its efforts at progress, are concerned, I pre- 

 fer to remain a ' chilly conservatist.' 



But, to the point : Are Dwarf Pears adapted to this soil and cli- 



