STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 69 



Rawle's Janet, Calvert and Rambo. Pears all in full flower, Pe- 

 waukee and Clark's Orange are in bloom. May 20, quite cool this 

 morning, but clear sky; 45 degrees at 7 a. m,; 76 degrees at 2 p.m. 

 Standing by the south window up stairs in my workshop and looking 

 over the cops of neai'ly half ray orchard, it reminds me of the 

 spring and season of 1S80, as every tree appears to be covered 

 with bloom — apples, pears, cherries and plums, and a few late 

 peaches. The early ones have already dropped their petals; all of 

 them promise a full crop of fruit. 



That seedling pear from Flemish Bt-auty, 1871, is full of bloom, 

 mostly double flowers ten to twelve petals and two inches in 

 diameter, pollen a dark purple; if the pears will be as showy as the 

 bloom, it will be large and fine.* 



May 21. Examined many varieties of blossoms to day; all seem 

 to be perfect in male and female organs in same flower, but there is 

 as much diiference in the shape of the petals, in their size, color, 

 form and general appearance as there is in the fruit itself. Some have 

 cup-shaped petals, with erect, strong pistils, as for instance the 

 Wealthy and Fameuse, and the pistils protrude through the cups 

 somewhat before the pollen in same blossoms is perfected, and these 

 pistils will take the pollen that flies early from neighboring trees 

 that have blossoms with straight petals and their pollen all exposed 

 to sun and wind. The cup-shaped ones will therefore be surer to 

 bear a crop of fruit than the straight petaledones, which lose their 

 pollen.f The wind and insects will sometimes carry the pollen 

 long distances from the straight petaled trees, and distribute it so 

 abundantly, that not a single flower on the cup-shaped ones will 

 be fertilized by its own pollen. But the wind does not blow every 

 day, and insects cannot always he depended upon, so the buds do 

 not all open at the same time, and later flowers in periods of calm 

 or in absence of insects ma}- be fertilized by pollen from the same 

 bud, if not from the same flower; but most varieties have only one 

 or two perfect apples from the same bud, and hence it is very 

 doubtful if we save the seeds of such apples and plant them 



* Nov. 20. Just made an outline drawing of this pear. Form and size same as parent ; 

 color— tlie upper half russet, the lower or Mem half clear, yellow and smooth skin ; 

 imperfect for eating- now. but will be a good dessert pear when fully ripe, although not 

 as sweet as the Flemish Beauty. For culinary purposes ic will be better for being 

 moie tart, and the flesh beiag firmer. It will rank as one of the best American 

 pears for all purposes. 



t Note by the Secretary.— Observers are requested to note next spring and re- 

 port what varieties are straight petaled aud whether they blossom freely and bear 

 scantily. Look at Quaker Beauty and Orange Crabs and see if they correspond with 

 this theory. Then vice versa look at the cup shaped ones, like Wealthy and Duchess. 

 Also see if any straignt petiled ones bear well and if so, whether they have a chance 

 to get pollen from other trees. 



