ORANGE PEAR-=ORCHAnDS NEAR NIAGARA. 



the pear, with a few others of less worth, were all that we had in cultivation. So some 

 thirty years ago— -when I first commenced the nursery business here-^we propagated them 

 to considerable extent, and sold them too as "one of the best sorts." Then we knew 

 nothing about such pears as the Bartlett, Seckel, White Doyenne, Louise Bonne de Jersey, 

 Bloodgood, Madalcine, Stevens' Genesee, &c., all of which, together with many more, 1 

 have " fancied," were far superior to the Orange PeSr, 



In September, 1848, Mr. A. presented this pear before the Pomological Congress, then 

 assembled in Buffalo; not merely the fruit, then in perfeetion, but also a fine dish of pre- 

 serves, which all present had an opportunity of tasting. The subject was debated, and 

 it is presumed that all were of the opinion, that the pear would "absorb sugar perfectly 

 and abundantly," in the same way that a dry sponge will absorb more water than a wet 

 one. Several gentlemen had expressed their opinion, not very complimentary, to the good 

 qualities of the pear. In this crisis, ray friend Allen arose, and said he wished to hear 

 from Mr. Hodge on the subject. Of course, Mr. H. being thus publicly called on, must 

 take the floor; and it has been said that " this speech killed it stone dead." Perhaps 

 I was wrong in comparing the pear to the choke cherry or to the common wild cherry. 

 Indeed, I now acknowlege that neither of them are analagous. I ought to have compared 

 it to the common Morello cherry. It would certainly have given me pleasure to have 

 helped the matter along. And I can most cheerfully subscribe to most of the good quali- 

 ties given to it by my friend Allen. He says "that for preserving purposes, it has no 

 equal, and that repeated juries of ladies have settled this question." To this I must be 

 permitted to take exceptions: and I move the court for a new trial, on the ground that 

 these juries have not been regularly unpanelled, that the testimony was merely exparte, 

 and also on the ground, that the presiding judge, has not only been partial in his charge 

 to the jury, but also, that he was an interested party. Let a new trial be had, and it can 

 readily be shown, that no dry or yellow fleshed pear will compare favorably, with the rich 

 juicy white fleshed pear. The latter when preserved becomes almost transparent, beautiful 

 to the eye, and of superior flavor. The Orange Pear is well enough; much like the Dutch- 

 man's bank note, not very good or very bad, but about so-so. The tree is a strong, hardy 

 grower, and verj^ productive, and " a good market fruit." By the way, my friend A. 

 says that this last expression means, " good to sell to people that don't know any better." 



It is to be presumed, that no one will contend, that the proceedings and decisions of our 

 Pomological Congress, have always been infallible. Far from it. Let me state an instance 

 in which, in my opinion, injustice was done. The Brown Beurre pear was brought up for 

 discussion. Its merits and demerits pretty fully discussed, when one of our Pomological 

 Doctors, (L. F. A.,) " moved that it be considered as unworthy of cultivation." This 

 done, killed it outright. Mr. A. has since cultivated this fruit more successfully, and now 

 thinks well of it. Indeed, I was much gratified to read his remarks on this fruit; they 

 perfectly coincide with my own. Mr. A. is a good cultivator, a discerning pomologist, 

 and a vigorous writer. His remarks on fruit, «ic., in the March number of the Horticul- 

 turist, I like very well. (Doubtless, just as he will like mine.) 



Mr. Allen has a fine farm of near one thousand acres of land, on the head of Grand Isl- 

 and, in the Niagara river. Here he has fine orchards of the apple, pear, cherry, &c. 

 Some four years since, I also purchased two hundred acres of land on the foot of the Is- 

 land, near the Falls of Niagara. For two or three years past I have been planting out 

 pretty largely of the peach, pear, apple, &c. I had anticipated having, in a few years, 

 one of the largest orchards in Western New-York, but somehow, of late, a new impulse 

 has been given to the orchard on the upper end of the Island, and it now covers no less 



