POMOLOGICAL GOSSIP. 



279 



whole, one of the very best of autumn 

 pears. 



Our correspondent, Mr. Ives, w^hose gar- 

 den joins Mr. Manning's, and whose zeal 

 and enthusiasm as a cultivator are well 

 known, favored us also with his three select 

 favorites, which are these — Bartlttt, Fon- 

 dante d^ Automne, and Winter Nelis. "You 

 may be assured," said Mr. Ives, " that no 

 autumn pear surpasses the Fonda7ite d''Au- 

 tomne;" whereupon he placed in our hands 

 a fine specimen of this luscious fruit, to stop 

 our mouth and our objections at the same 

 moment. It was, as, indeed, we have al- 

 ways found this variety, truly delicious. 



Our last pomological visit was to Mr. 

 John C. Lee of Salem. It was three years 

 since we had visited his grounds, where we 

 have always found a great deal that is in- 

 teresting and instructive. We were now 

 greatly pleased with the admirable manage- 

 ment every where to be seen, the stock of 

 new trees and plants imported from abroad, 

 and the flourishing and healthy condition 

 of all. The buckthorn hedges here, are 

 perhaps the most perfect in the country, and 

 particularly pleased us by the manner in 

 which they were trimmed — in the shape of 

 a perfect triangle or wedge, whose base 

 was about four feet, and height about seven 

 or eight feet. 



Mr. Lee has tested a great many fine 

 pears, but hesitated when called upon to 

 decide at once upon three. He finally chose, 

 as the three which his own experience would 

 lead him to adopt — the Bloodgood, Seckel, 

 and Winter Nelis. 



There were several other gentlemen, ex- 

 perienced fruit-growers, about Boston, to 

 whom we should have been glad to submit 

 our primary (/uestiori, but our limited time 

 did not allow us to visit them. 



Something, however, has, we think, been 

 gained by our pomological gossip. We 

 have at least ascertained for our readers 

 nine pears, whose maturity is from early 

 summer to winter, which are esteemed by 

 the most experienced growers of this fruit 

 about Boston, as the very best for that neigh- 

 borhood, and we may add, for the whole 

 sea-coast belt, of fifty miles broad, extend- 

 ing from Chesapeake bay to Maine. These 

 are Bloodgood, Bart left, Louise Bonne de 

 Jersey, Seckel, Fondante d' Automne, Beurre 

 Bosc, Vicar of Wxnkjield, Winter Nelis, and 

 Bturre d^Aremberg. 



The Bartlett, it will be perceived, is al- 

 most an universal favorite. This is owing 

 not simply to its size and good quality, but 

 also to its regular productiveness, joined to 

 its invaluable habit of adapting itself to 

 every soil, and bearing while the tree is yet 

 very young. Beurre d^Arembcrg and Win- 

 ter Nelis are about equally popular as win- 

 ter fruits — the former being the best bear- 

 er, and the latter the most luscious in fla- 

 vor. 



Some of our readers may expect that 

 after having successfully solicited the con- 

 tributions of the leading devotees of Po- 

 mona around Boston, we are bound to con- 

 tribute something ourselves before closing 

 the books. 



We shall do this very willingly, if they 

 will allow us what speculators call a large 

 vmrgin. We must beg to be allowed tico 

 answers, though we would not allow our 

 respondents but one. 



For all gardens to the east and south of 

 us, we would recommend Bartlett, Seckel, 

 and Beurre d^Aremberg. For all gardens to 

 the north and west, Bartlett, White Doyenne 

 and Beurre d''Are?nberg. 



