222 PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



PREFACE. 



During the time spent in the investipation of the pear industry, 

 covering a period of four years, in practically every county of the 

 state where this fruit is grown commercially, the writer was extended 

 many courtesies and received much valuable assistance from the county 

 horticultural commissioners, and therefore wishes to express to them 

 his appreciation and thanks. 



In the preparation of the manuvscript the valuable aid of a number of 

 people familiar with the pear industry was secured. To them points 

 that were uncertain were submitted for an opinion, which was always 

 generously and freely given. The publication of this book is thus 

 undertaken with an added assurance that the material contained in its 

 pages is reliable. The thanks of the author is tendered to Mr. A. L. 

 Wisker, Grass Valley, California, for revising manuscript, aiding with 

 the description of varieties, and for furnishing a table giving dates of 

 blooming for different varieties ; to Dr. W. L. Howard, Professor W. P. 

 Tufts and Professor A. H. Hendrickson, of the University' of California, 

 for aid in the description of varieties and data on cross pollination; to 

 Professor C. I. Lewis, Corvallis, Oregon, Mr. W. V. Eberly, Niles, Cali- 

 fornia, and Mr. George C. Roeding, Fresno, California, for data on 

 varieties; to Professor F. C. Reimer, Talent, Oregon, and Mr. A. C. Mc- 

 Cormick, Talent, Oregon, for revising the article on pear blight and for 

 data regarding varieties ; to ]Mr. F. C. Brosius, County Horticultural 

 Commissioner, Sacramento, California, for data on intercrops and pro- 

 duction ; to H. S. Smith, Superintendent of the State Insectan^. D. C. 

 Fessenden, Secretary of the State Commission of Horticulture, 0. W. 

 Newman, Assistant Secretary of the State Commission of Horticulture, 

 and Miss Edith Moore, stenographer in the State Commission of Horti- 

 culture, for much painstaking work in correcting proof. 



The work was done under the immediate direction of State Horticul- 

 tural Commissioner G. H. Hecke, whose valuable suggestions have at all 

 times been available and have meant much toward the satisfactory com- 

 pletion of the book. 



Geo. p. Weldon. 



