A CHAPTER ON PEARS. 



337 



is only fine on the pear stock. Williams' 

 Bon Chretien the same. The Calahasse 

 d'Hiver good on either quince or pear." 



I have derived much pleasure and profit 

 from the reading of my correspondent's let- 

 ter, although his long list of the best pears 

 rather confounds my calculations previously 

 made, and regarded as satisfactory to my- 

 self. Of a number of the pears named, I 

 have no knowledge whatever ; yet, they 

 may all be of as fine quality as he thinks 

 them, and worthy a trial with us. The 

 amateur who is desirous of cultivating a 

 select collection of this delicious fruit, is 

 advised to take particular notice of every 

 fine variety existing in his neighborhood. 

 He will observe whether they are on the 

 quince or natural stock, and their degree of 

 productiveness in different aspects, and dif- 

 ferent soils. It is by such observations, in 

 connection with a few general principles I 

 shall mention, that he will be able to avoid 

 much of the deception to which he is con- 

 stantly exposed, and save much valuable 

 time. 



In most cases, a preference is to be given 

 to trees on quince roots^ because of their 

 fertility, and the quality of their fruit. Yet, 

 a difficulty unfortunately presents itself here, 

 and it is not easily explained. The quince 

 tree itself, in all soils, does well enough ; 

 but when grafted Avith many varieties of 

 the pear, the latter does not do at all. No 

 success whatever attends our trials. The 

 union is, in spite of us, defective. This 

 may be attributed to the routine and bad 

 method of planting so generally adopted 

 heretofore. 



Some cultivators are in the habit of 

 planting deeply, burying the graft several 



inches beneath the surface of the ground. 

 Others, again, do just the reverse ; the 

 graft is as many inches above the ground. 

 Both are wrong ; for the graft should be 

 just even with the surface. That is the 

 true position, the only one that will an- 

 swer in every instance of pear on quince, 

 where the union is expected to be complete 

 and productive. Besides, it is to be re- 

 membered that a cool and moist soil is re- 

 quired for quince roots, a rather warm, light 

 and dry one for pear. By careless or im- 

 proper grafting, too, much labor is thrown 

 away. If the graft is too long, it becomes 

 exhausting ; if too short, no bearing wood 

 is formed, and the too numerous shoots 

 subsequently developed are mutually in- 

 jurious, and bear no fruit. 



Upon the natural, or pear stock, a deep 

 and moderately rich soil is required. The 

 tree is then more vigorous, but does not so 

 soon produce its fruit ; and its life is much 

 more prolonged than if it were upon the 

 quince. It is always best to graft the more 

 delicate varieties upon the pear stock, as 

 the growth will most likely be stronger, 

 and better adapted to resist the force of 

 strong winds. 



I perceive that some of the names given 

 by my correspondent are synonyms, and 

 that quite a collection of fine varieties, 

 known to our own cultivators, are not in 

 his list. The best American fruits are 

 never hastily introduced to European gar- 

 dens and orchards ; they do things bet- 

 ter than ourselves in that particular, and 

 some others, which I may attend to in ano- 

 ther comm.unication. 



Wm. W. Valk, M, D. 



Flushing, L I., Dec 4, J818. 



Vol, in. 



22 



