NOTES ON TWENTY OF THE FINEST PEARS. 



415 



NOTES ON TWENTY OF THE FINEST PEARS. 



BY CHEEVER NEWHALL. ESQ., DORCHESTER, MASS. 



Sir — In the December number of the Horti- 

 cuhurist, you have given the answer of sev- 

 eral gentlemen of great experience, to the 

 question, " which do you consider the three 

 best pears." As was to be expected, a variety 

 of opinions was elicited. I have long been 

 desirous that some one better qualified than 

 myself, would give to the public the result 

 of his experience in the cultivation of this 

 delicious fruit, and state which are really 

 the best varieties. I think it may be grati- 

 fying to those unacquainted with the cultiva- 

 tion of fruit, to know that there are at least 

 tiventy varieties of pears, already well tested 

 in this vicinity, of great merit, and well 

 worthy of extensive cultivation. 



As no one has come forward to furnish 

 such a list, I conceive this may be a proper 

 time to ask permission to occupy a small 

 space in your useful journal, for the purpose 

 of adding to the catalogue of nine sorts, (see 

 *' Pomological Gossip," in the December 

 number,) the varieties which I consider the 

 best and most profitable to cultivate in the 

 New England States. lam well persuaded 

 that I can furnish no catalogue to which all 

 will assent, but my object will be attained, 

 if the " uninitiated" derive any information 

 by my remarks. 



In the first place, I agree that all the va- 

 rieties named by the distinguished cultiva- 

 tors referred to in the " Pomological Gos- 

 sip," should be labelled " first quality," ex- 

 cept the Bloodgood. This pear may be 

 good in some soils, but I have never suc- 

 ceeded in ripening one that could be classed 

 first quality.* In the next place, I shall add 

 to their catalogue, three of our native varie- 

 ties which originated in, and near this city, 



• This is uniformly the very best early Pear here. — Ed. 



viz : the Dix. Heathcot, and Andrews, with 

 three foreign varieties, the Urbaniste, Para- 

 dise d'Automne and Passe Colmar ; and 

 for strong rich soils, the Flemish Beauty, 

 Buerr6 Diel and Glout Morceau. These 

 are, in my estimation, all of first quality, 

 but not of equal merit. The Dix pear, 

 sometimes, in this neighborhood, cracks in 

 exhausted soils, but is a noble and delicious 

 fruit, not surpassed, in my estimation, by 

 any other pear known. The Urbaniste is 

 more sure of producing a crop of well ripened 

 fruit, than any other variety I cultivate, except 

 the Bartlett and Vicar of Winkfield. The 

 Passe Colmar seldom attains perfection, 

 unless the fruit spurs are severely pruned 

 out in the spring, or the fruit thinned when 

 quite small. There are several other vari- 

 eties, more recently introduced, but I have 

 not yet thoroughly tested them. 



As to Winter pears, for cooking, I esteem 

 the Catilac as the best. It is very large, 

 stews very tender, and is then of rich color, 

 and superior flavor. The Black Pear of 

 Worcester, or as it is called here, Iron pear, 

 is the most profitable. The tree bears 

 heavy crops of fair fruit, of large size. 

 When cooked, it is of a sprightly agreeable 

 flavor, but a little astringent. Both of these 

 kinds are in use from December to May, 

 and both require a rich clayey soil to insure 

 their greatest perfection. One of my neigh- 

 bors, who cultivates the latter pear largely, 

 has realized for several years past, ten dol- 

 dollars a barrel, for his whole crop, by ship- 

 ping them abroad. 



For early fruit the Madeleine, (or Citron 

 des Carmes,) ripening in my garden the last 

 of July, and the Jargonelle, about ten days 

 after, are the two best pears of the season, 



