134 THE PEAR UPON THE QUINCE STOCK. 



planted, which have borne fruit successfully and paid 

 cost, I will giv(f up the contest.' 



" I will then take him to my neighbor, Austin's, 

 the Treasurer of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society, who has Jive hundred and ten pear trees. All 

 these are on the quince root, with the exception of 

 one or two dozen, which are on the pear root ; but as 

 these latter have borne but little fruit, Mr. S. will not 

 object to their being counted in the lot. These trees 

 are from eleven to thirteen years of age. One hun- 

 dred of them are Louise Bonne de Jerseys. These 

 trees commenced about three years after planting, 

 have borne regular and abundant crops ever since, 

 and are now in a very vigorous and healthy condition. 

 ISTo account of the crops were kept until the year 

 1851, but Mr. Austin has kindly furnished me with 

 the amount of his sales since that date. The total 

 sales, for six years, were $3,408.76. The original cost 

 of these trees was about fifty cents each, or $250. 

 Mr. Austin is a merchant, and goes to the city every 

 day, and the only help he has had, is the service of a 

 man who takes care of his stables and grounds. He 

 has, however, given them his personal attention, and 

 good cultivation : but, I think, without further estima- 

 tion of ' cost^ we may reasonably conclude that these 

 '-five hundred trees ' have ' home successfully, and 

 paid cost.^ 



" We will then take a ride over to the Messrs. 

 HovEY, where we shall find a much larger number of 

 pear trees on the quince root. Their beautiful avenues 

 are lined with them, some of which are from fifteen 

 to twenty years of age ; but as it will occupy, perhaps, 



