356 



PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 



or older than the Iowa tree. It is quite probable that Collins & Sons 

 sent out trees of this species other than the one sent to Iowa. I hope 

 that some of these can be located, and the writer M^ould be pleased to 

 receive specimen leaves and fruits of any tree which promises to belong 

 to this species." 



In the same report referred to in footnote the following other species 

 are mentioned as being more promising than Pyrus serotina, viz : Pyrus 

 calleryana, Pyrus variolosa and Pyrus ovoidea. 

 Commenting upon these Reimer states: 



"Pyrus calleryana, Decne — This species is 

 a native of central and southern China. It 

 bears small, brownish fruit, with a decidu- 

 ous calyx. The leaves are of medium size, 

 very glossy, and the margins possess short, 

 rounded or dentate teeth. The tree is a 

 clean, vigorous, upright grower, with very 

 smooth bark. This species appears to be 

 adapted to a wide range of conditions, being 

 found at elevations ranging from a few feet 

 above sea leval to an elevation of 5,000 feet. 

 It is often found growing under very 

 adverse soil conditions. 



"There are several trees of this species at 

 Oroville, California, which have never shown 

 a trace of blight, while other types of pears 

 near them have suffered heavily from the dis- 

 ease. These trees were grown from seed col- 

 lected in extreme southern China, and repre- 

 sent the southern type of this species. We 

 have successfully inoculated young, vigorous 

 trees of this type, and in some cases the 

 disease would extend down the branches as 

 much as three feet. It appears to be resistant in wood that is two or 

 more years old. 



' ' The type of this species from central China has shown even greater 

 resistance to blight than that from southern China. In this type we 

 have been able to produce the disease only in the young wood ; in 

 branches one or more years old all of our inoculations have failed. 

 Since it is very seldom that our commercial varieties on the Pacific 

 coast become infected with blight before they are three years old, this 

 species probably would seldom be affected by blight when used as a 

 stock. Since this species is a native of the mild regions of China, it 

 may prove well suited to the mild climate of the Pacific coast. This 

 species appears to be congenial to our cultivated types, as the scions 

 united readil.y, and the young trees grow vigorously when grafted on to 

 the European varieties. 



Fig. 152. 



Leaf of J'lirus caller- 

 yana. 



