36 



ORCHARD FRUIT CULTURE. 



Autumn Bergamot, Swan's Egg, Brown 

 Beurre, Jargonelle, Summer Bergamot — 

 small, Summer Bergamot — large ; and two 

 other kinds of approved nursery variety. 



These trees were planted in a strong 

 clay soil, well drained and rich, which, in 

 this region, I consider among the very best 

 for pear cultivation. On trial, they proved 

 as follows : 



Beurre d'Aremberg proved to be the 

 Glout Morceaux, — the best winter pear I 

 know ; a strong, vigorous growing tree ; a 

 great, and amiual bearer ; and true to that 

 variety, as described in Downing's book of 

 fruits. 



Louise Bonne de Jersey, true to its name, 

 and every way a most desirable fruit ; a 

 great bearer ; the tree of moderate growth, 

 but upright and handsome. 



Princes St. Germain, true to its descrip- 

 tion, but worthless in my grounds, — never 

 getting ripe, nor eatable. After three 

 years' trial in bearing, I headed the trees 

 down, and grafted with the Bartlett, Glout 

 Morceau, and White Doyenne. 



Marie Louise, true to its kind, — some 

 years very fine, others indifferent. A bad 

 grower, — throwing itself into all shapes but 

 a good one. So far, I have tolerated it, 

 but may yet head them down and re-graft. 

 Were I to plant anew, I should not plant 

 it among my selections. 



Autumn Bergamot, true to its kind ; a 

 good grower and great bearer, but worth- 

 less. Headed the trees all down, and in- 

 serted better kinds. 



Swan's Egg, ditto, with the exception of 

 being an indifferent bearer. 



Brown Beurre, true ; some of the trees 

 bear most splendid fruit, — Golden Russet 

 in colour; melting, vinous, juicy, and de- 

 licious ; some seasons rather better than 

 others. Some of the trees do not bear 

 quite so good fruit, although in same soil 



and situation, as the others — don't know 

 why. I would cultivate the Brown Beurre 

 in my collection, although not largely. 

 When in perfection, they are almost equal 

 to the Doyenne or Virgalieu. 



Jargonelle, true, but worthless. Headed 

 down and grafted it with Winter Nelis. 



Summer Bergamot — large and small — 

 true ; the trees good growers, but the fruit 

 inferior. Thus far, tolerated them ; but 

 intend heading them down and re-grafting. 



Thus ends my ten varieties of best 

 pears. Two out of the whole proved first 

 rate ; a third, sometimes good, and again 

 but tolerably so. 



This, however, is but a prelude to what 

 I am coming at. Last year I had prepared 

 a piece of ground for 1000 pear trees. 

 About half of them I resolved to plant on 

 quince stocks as dwarfs ; the remainder on 

 pear stocks. You may perhaps have had a 

 suspicion, if not the knowledge, that there 

 has been, for some few years past, some- 

 thing of a pear mania infesting our coun- 

 try, and trees have in consequence got 

 rather high in price. No matter for that. 

 I found a man who had trees to my mind, 

 and wanted to get rid of them at fair prices. 

 So, a year ago, I ordered 500 trees, one- 

 half of each kind, dwarf on quince, and 

 standard on pear stocks. The kinds were 

 of numerous French and Flemish varieties, 

 of celebrated, kinds, praised in the books — 

 Van Mons, and others. I named the kinds 

 I wanted, but only a few of them were to 

 be had ; but " better" kinds were offered in 

 place ; and as they were well grown and 

 good stocks, and stocks were what I chiefly 

 wanted on which to put my selected sorts, 

 I took them. Now, I shall take no pride 

 in showing two, three, or four hundred va- 

 rieties, four-fifths of which are worthless ; 

 and if I can select a dozen kinds, which I 

 know to be good beyond a question, I will 



