NOTES ON PEARS. 



it was not the Glout Morceau, but more like the Beurre Ranee. As it was not then ripe, 

 its taste could be no guide to their judgment. 



Its growth is somewhat twisting, " spreading and declining in habit, with wavy (ser- 

 rated) leaves," and the color of the wood " dark olive," as you describe the Glout Mor- 

 ceau. Yet it is not like the pear trees which I have seen about here, worked on the quince, 

 and called by that name. The shoots of this last are upright, and the leaf more round, 

 and dull in color, and somewhat downy underneath. Neither the color of the wood, nor 

 of the fruit, is as you describe the " Beurre de Ranee," the fruit of which last is "rather 

 rough, and always remaining green;" whereas my pear is a rich yellow, sometimes a lit- 

 tle rusetty, with small green specks upon its surface. I never tasted so good a lointer 

 pear. I have propagated it largely; and, name or not, want no better winter pear than 

 this. 



I fancy that we, in America, have not yet arrived at the end of all wisdom in Pears. 

 We have a good deal to learn. Another thing; I have great doubts whether our late im- 

 portations from abroad, in these extensive varieties which our amateurs and nurserymen 

 are introducing, are to do us much good. Most of these foreign pears are too " high bred." 

 Compare many of them with the best of American origin, and see how infinitely inferior 

 they are in hardihood and growth; and in flavor they do not excel, if they even equal our 

 best. Still, where we are lacking in American pears of the requisite flavor, for their sea- 

 son, I Avould adopt the foreign ones; but these qualities equal, commend me to the na- 

 tive. 



We are also running after too many kinds. What is the use of bothering one's brains 

 after fifty or a hundred, or five hundred things, merely for variety's sake, when perhaps 

 a dozen or twenty will comprise all that can begot in the five hundred? At a rough dash, 

 I will name a dozen pears which will give you all the excellence you can get out of the 

 entire pear family, in the circle of their seasons of ripening, for this locality — say western 

 New-York: Bloodgood, Bartlett, Stevens' Genesee, White Doyenne, Grey Doyenne, 

 Louise Bonne de Jersey, Brown Beurre, Seckel, Vicar of Winkfield, Beurre D'Aremberg, 

 my Nonsuch, or Glout Moreeau, Winter Nelis, and for baking and preserving, the Orange 

 Bergamont. 



There is another advantage in growing but a limited number of really good fruits, which 

 it may be well for those who cultivate for market, to consider. The consumers of fruits 

 in our towns and cities, know and care little about varieties, other than what indicates 

 their quality. They know what a good fruit is, and when they learn its name they re- 

 member it; and that is what, in its season, they inquire for. But if a new variety is in- 

 troduced, they have got to be taught its excellence by the taste ; and they will still pre- 

 fer the old variety which they have approved, to any thing simply new, be it ever so good. 



Last September, I had a few Bartlett pears, beyond what were wanted in the house, 

 and as I had never seen any in the Buffalo fruit shops, concluded to take them into town, 

 and try them. I went to one of the first dealers, and asked him what he would pay for 

 Bartlett pears. " Bartlett pears!" exclaimed he, "what are they?" "Why, the very 

 best pears of the season," I replied; "look at them." "Well, they do look good," he 

 continued, "but they won't measure any more to the bushel than smaller ones? I buy 

 plenty of good pears from the country for six shillings to a dollar a bushel." " Now, my 

 fine fellow, I want you to take these pears, and sell them at three cents a-piece, and for 

 the largest do you get /our, or keep them till T call for them." There had never been a 

 Bartlett pear in market. " I'll try it," he replied, " but I never could get more than one 

 cent for a pear, and I guess you'll have to take them away again." This was about 10 



