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The Canadian Horticulturist. 



THE WESTERN NEW YORK FRUIT GROWERS— II. 

 Mr. Willapd— The Kieffer Pear— Hardy Peaches- Grape Growing. 



EXT to the worthy President, Mr. W. C. 

 Barry, one of the most prominent members of 

 this Society is Mr. S. D. Willard, of Geneva, 

 N.Y., the Vice-President. Always wide-awake, 

 energetic, humorous, he has a habit of popping 

 up just at the nick of time to emphasize an 

 important point, or to bring the house down 

 with laughter and applause. We have been 

 favored with his presence on several occasions 

 at meetings of our Association, and our reports 

 show how valuable is the information which he has contributed at these times. 

 Although a specialist in plum culture, of which fruit he has some fifty 

 varieties in bearing, he also grows cherries, quinces, pears, peaches, etc., quite 

 extensively. His interest in plum culture was largely the result of a visit, some 

 twenty-five years ago, to the Hudson river plum grounds, where he saw this 

 fruit grown with such great success, that he determined to make it a prominent 

 feature of his orchard work at Geneva, N.Y. This wisdom of his venture has 

 since been well attested. 



He was also one of the first to plant the Kieffer pear as an orchard tree 'n 

 New York State, and good-naturedly bears the brunt of many criticisms, while 

 he champions it as a profitable orchard variety. Though about sixty years of 

 age, there is not a more enthusiastic fruit grower of any age in the State of 

 New York, just the kind of a man to inspire the members of a horticultural 

 society with confidence in their profession. 



The Kieffer Pear came up for discussion again at this meeting, and Mr. 

 Willard said he observed that it was being planted in every direction, and the 

 only fear was over-production. He had been shipping them in car lots all the 

 way to Chicago, where the commission men, instead of finding fault, only asked 

 for more. They were just the pears to suit the purpose of the Italians, who 

 retailed them on the street at high prices. The Duchess pear is also the lead- 

 ing variety in Genesee County, according to Mr. Irving Cook. It cropped well 

 this last season, and sold at $2 to $3.25 per barrel. 



Hardy Peaches. — The question was asked, " Are there any new peaches 

 more hardy than the old sorts ? " Mr. J. H. Hale said that some of our old 

 varieties will endure 20° below zero, as for instance Hill's Chili, which is very 

 hardy, and has not failed for twenty years. All of the Alexander type are very 

 hardy and cannot easily be excelled by any of the newer varieties in this respect 



