NOTES ON PEARS. 



stiff, clay loam — but rich — with no cultivation at all, except what a careless plowing gives 

 them, and what trimming they get by the cattle browsing upon them in winter. There 

 is something queer about that. Possibly it is the best way to treat them; but I cannot 

 make up ray mind to serve my own trees so. 



Stevens' Genesee. — This should have followed the Bartlett in succession of ripening. It 

 is a capital pear in the growth of its wood, its hardiness and full bearing properties. Of 

 only second quality in flavor, when compared with the Virgalieu or Louise Bonne de Jer- 

 sey. It is all, in excellence, that has been claimed for it. 



Fan Mon's Leon le Clerc. — From what I have seen, and what I have heard of this pear 

 from observing men, I fear that those who have built high hopes upon it, from the trium- 

 phant tones with which it entered the United States, will be disappointed. It bore with 

 me last year, on a thrifty young tree, from grafts M^hich I obtained of Mr. Charles Down- 

 ing, and which, I have no doubt, are genuine. The fruit cracked and spotted before it was 

 half matured, which caused it to grow out of shape; and the flavor, when I gathered and 

 ripened it, amounted to nothing. I have also seen it at the exhibitions. I shall not pro- 

 pagate it. 



Dwchzsse D' Jngouleme. — Not satisfactory, on the pear stock; but good on the quince. 

 It is a noble looking, great coarse fruit, of tolerable flavor, fair second quality. It will 

 do to sell to those who only judge of pears by their size and appearance. For preserving, 

 they are grand. They sliould be grown only on quince stocks, and then, near to the 

 ground, that the wind may not dislodge them, which it will be quite apt to do, if sufiered 

 to grow high. 



Seckel. — It is hardly worth while to talk about the Seckel — the highest flavored pear 

 known. This is probably the most northern latitude in which it will grow; and in fa- 

 vorable seasons it is as highly flavored, and as well grown in western New-York, as in 

 the neighborhood of Philadelphia, its native soil. I have nowhere seen it larger and bet- 

 ter flavored than here. 



Winter Nells. — I hardly know what to say about this pear. I have fruited it for the 

 past three years. It is a mean grower — to use common language — with small, twisting, 

 and fumWing spray; yet, after a while, the limbs shoot up into respectable shape, and 

 may make a top, by and bye. The tree bears well; is a thrifty grower; and the fruit of 

 medium size, juicy, vinous, and good. Better on quince stocks than on pear — sol have 

 found it. Is not this a queer sport of nature, that some kinds of pear should be better on 

 the quince — a low, scrubby, acrid fruit bearing thing — than on the pear stock itself? 



Nonsuch — or, I know not what to call it. — This is a pear which I got from Judge Buel 

 thirteen years ago, with other pears, under the name of Beurre D'Aremberg — which it 

 certainly is not. It is a winter pear. It is a strong and vigorous grower, bears abundant- 

 ly, and its fruit is of the first quality; sweet, melting, juicy, delicious; a little gritty at 

 the core; and ripens from the middle of November to the middle of December — keeping, 

 by hard work, to Christmas. Your figure of the " Glout Morceau," in the " Fruits and 

 Fruit Trees of America," resembles it very closely, as does that of the " Soldat Laboreur," 

 described by Mr. Olmsted, in the January number of the Horticulturist. I supposed it 

 to be the Glout Morceau, from hearing that the pears earl}'- imported into this country 

 from France, under the name of Beurre D'Aremberg, were found, on trial, to be of that 

 variety. I presented it at the American Pomological Convention, at Syracuse, in 1849, 

 to the inspection of Messrs. Parsons, of Flushing, Charles Downing and Mr. Saul 

 Newburgh,and John J. Thomas, of Macedon — all good judges, and their opinion was 



