THE MOUNTAIN ASH AS A STOCK FOR PEARS. 



181 



ing it a matter of trivial consequence, no 

 care was taken to select choice varieties, 

 but used such as were nearest at hand ; 

 nor were the scions labelled. They all 

 grew — some very rapidly ; and a number 

 of the largest were blown out by high 

 winds in the course of the season. The 

 spring succeeding, the branches, bereft of 

 their scions, were supplied with a new set, 

 which grew nearly as well as the first. 

 These I protected with a rod, tied on by 

 way of splint. 



The same year one of the scions, inserted 

 the previous spring, bore a cluster of fine 

 pears, three of which were unusually large 

 and handsome, and proved to be the Vicar 

 of Winkfield. The same scion the next 

 year bore eighteen, and the fourth year be- 

 tween fifty and sixty pears. The present 

 year most of the scions are bearing fruit — 

 some very abundantly. 



It is evident, by a glance at the tree, 

 that the different varieties are not alike 

 suited with the stock ; for while some seem 

 quite at home, making each year a good 

 growth and bearing heavily, others have 

 grown but little since the first season, and 

 bear moderately ; others still appear sickly, 

 neither growing or bearing, while a few 

 have died out. And it may be worthy re- 

 mark, that wherever one has died the limb 

 also has perished, and looks as if poisoned ; 

 but the limbs from which scions had been 

 removed by accident remained healthy, 

 throwing out side shoots, and could be re- 

 grafted. 



With regard to the quality of the fruit 

 produced, there has been as much variation 

 as in the general appearance of the scions. 

 The Fulton was very much as usual on 

 pear stocks ; Flemish Beauty above usual 

 size, and very good ; DoyennG somewhat 

 less than medium size, perfectly fair, and 

 of exquisite flavor. I am not sure whether 



this is the White or Gray Doyenn'-. The 

 scion was cut from an imported tree on 

 quince, the fruit of which has a brilliant 

 red cheek and some russet ; but on the 

 Ash, is of a delicate straw colour, with no 

 russet. [The Gray Doyenne is all covered 

 with russet, like the Fulton. Ed.] Vicar 

 of Winkfield will average usual size, but 

 varies much ; some being very large, fair, 

 and of regular form ; others as large, ill 

 shaped ; and some smaller, and deviating 

 in many directions from its usual appear- 

 ance. With all care in ripening, they 

 proved juicy indeed, but coarse, and not 

 over third rate in flavor. 



These are all which I have been able to 

 recognize with certainty. A few have 

 fruited and fallen off before ripening. 

 Several kinds, evidently of winter pears, 

 have been produced. One might have 

 been Easter Beurre ; it certainly was as 

 worthless. All were meagre, ill shaped 

 things, and defied every attempt to ripen 

 them. 



The tree which was the subject of these 

 experiments, stands near the north end of 

 my house, in grass ground ; and the soil 

 is the solid clay which forms the subsoil of 

 the spot, and was thrown out in digging 

 the cellar some twenty years ago. It is 

 from 16 to 18 feet in height, and about 5 

 inches in diameter, and has never been 

 manured, or even dug around. 



Last autumn I budded small trees in the 

 l.ursery, raised from seeds of the European 

 Mountain Ash, with a variety of pears. 

 All looked equally promising when headed 

 down ; but some would not start at all, 

 others grew a little, and some very well. 

 Of these, Glout Morceau and Vicar of 

 Winkfield did best, — making 3 to 5 feet 

 growth the present season. 



Within a week or two past, I have bud- 

 ded several hundreds with more than fifty 



