222 



THE CANADIAN HORTIOULTUBIST. 



KIEFFER'S HYBRID PEAR. 



Since staying here I have been to visit 

 the orchards in New Jersey and Penn- 

 sylvania planted to Kieffer Pear, and 

 can only say, they must be seen to be 

 appreciated. No one can tell the story. 

 The oldest, largest and most experienced 

 pear growers that have been growing 

 pears for Philadelphia market during 

 all their lives, are the men who are 

 going into it strongest, and grafting 

 their orchards all over to it. One man 

 will have 200 bushels of fruit this year. 

 Now understand this is no wild notion, 

 but after testing and selling the fruit 

 several seasons in the market. It is 

 said further to be just what the canning 

 factories want, they claiming there is 

 nothing equal to it. 



Such wonderful productions I have 

 never seen in a pear. It is surely a 

 splendid thing, and I am glad that I 

 have worked over 100 trees in my 

 orchard to it. 



S. D. WiLLARD. 



SORGHUM SUGAR. 



COUT OF ITS MANUFACTURE BY GOVERNMENT. 



The Hon. Geo. B. Loring, Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture for the United 

 States, reports as follows : 



On assuming the duties of my office 

 in 1881, I found 135 acres of sorghum 

 containing 52 varieties which had been 

 planted in Washington for the use of the 

 Department. On being informed that 

 the time had arrived for manufacturing 

 syrup and sugar, I engaged the services 

 of an expert in sugar-making who had 

 been highly recommended for the position 

 of superintendent, and operations were 

 commenced on September 26 at the mill, 

 erected by my predecessor, on the 

 grounds. These operations were con- 

 tinued with slight interruptions until 

 the latter part of October, at which 

 time the supply of cane became exhaus- 

 ted. Forty-two acres of the crop were 



overtaken by frost before being sufficient- 

 ly ripe for use, and this portion of thfe 

 crop was so badly damaged as to be unfit 

 for manufacture. The yield of cane per 

 acre, on the 93 acres gathered, was two 

 and a half tons; the number of gal- 

 lons of syrup obtained was 2,977 ; and 

 the number of pounds of sugar was 

 165. The expense of raising the cane 

 was $6,589 45; and the expense of 

 converting the cane into syrup and 

 sugar was $1,667 59 — an aggregrate of 

 $8,557 04. 



, STRAWBERRIES. 



The Country Gentleman addressed an 

 inquiry to several fruit-growers, for the 

 best market sort, the best three market 

 sorts, and the best six for general use. 



The following opinions are the re- 

 sult : — 



S. D. Willardof Geneva, N. Y., says: 

 The best market sort with me is the New 

 Dominion; best three, as the matter 

 stands to-day, New Dominion, Cumber- 

 land and Sharpless. The best six for 

 home use, Crescent, Bidwell, New Do- 

 minion, Cumberland, Sharpless and Pro- 

 lific. The New Dominion is a Canada 

 berry, a fine producer, attractive in ap- 

 pearance, splendid foliage, fruit very 

 uniform in size, ships well, and, above 

 all, sells well." 



Charles A. Green (editor of Green's 

 Fruit-Grower) says : "The best market 

 sort, as it appears to me and othei*s about 

 Rochester, is the James Vick, not yet 

 disseminated. Next I think is Man- 

 chester. Best three for general purposes 

 of those well known: Sharpless, Down- 

 ing, Cumberland. Best three for qual- 

 ity, Jersey Queen, Black Defiance, Len- 

 nig's White. Best six well known, for 

 all purposes : Sharpless, Downing, Cum- 

 berland, Bidwell, Duchess, Wilson. 

 Manchester is vigorous, productive, 

 medium to large, roundish, light crim- 

 son, good to very good, moderately firm. 



