PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 213 



sends us a box of most excellent pears, uiuler the name of Seekel. 

 All vrc have to say of them is that they are Seekel in taste; hut 

 in no other particular. They do not ansAver the description of the 

 books in form nor color, nor are they like Scckcls grown in this 

 vicinity. Wc had some, a few years ago, from Messrs. Beattv, 

 Aurora, N. Y., equally large, but of true Seekel color, while the 

 prevailing color of these is yellow russet, very slightly blushed. 

 The stems and calj^x, too, are unlike the true sort. This chano-e 

 in appearance, however, is no greater than it is with many varie- 

 ties of apples grow^n in this or in Western soil. Mr. Dudley 

 attributes " the size as well as the lusciousness to the health of his 

 orchard, and that in a high degree he considers owing to the 

 advantages of soil, situation and surroundings. My farm is one- 

 half mile east of the Mississippi, and my orchards are on a rido-e, 

 and its spurs, a good surface soil over clay, with limestone sub- 

 stratum — perhaps some portion of iron ore gravel mixed in the 

 soil — tine drainage, with foi'est on the north, north-east and west 

 sides. I have about 2,000 pear trees, of which some 1,600 are 

 the dwarfs. My Kirtlands, Duchess, Bartlett, White Do^^enne, 

 Louise, Belle Lucrative, Swan's Orange, Vicar, Lawrence, Benrre 

 dAnjon, Doj^enne Boursoch, all, with some other varieties, fulfill 

 all I could have hoped for — more than I expected. Some varie- 

 ties have proven worthless with me — Van Mons, Leon le Gierke, 

 Beurre Gris, and a few others. I think much of the fatality that 

 has befallen the pear in our State is traceable to a too rapid 

 growth, in view of the frequent and sudden changes of tempera- 

 ture from one extreme to the other, both in the fiill and si^rinor 

 and to the presence of unripe wood some seasons on the approach 

 of winter, as w^as specially the case last year — many trees taking 

 a second growth, some proceeding so for as to form young fruit. 

 The small amount of damage sustained hy me, under the circum- 

 stances, leaves me with increased hope and encouragement for the 

 future. Please let me know (through report of proceedings) if 

 any of the members of the Club can equal these Seckels, or sur- 

 pass them, from their orchards. I have many other varieties 

 promising well, ])ut too young yet to ])ear; and time must test 

 their worth to me. It has been suggested by some persons here 

 that this may not 1)e the true Seekel, but a new variety. 



Mr. D. T. Quinn, — It appears to me there must be some mistake 

 about these specimens. Some of them are decidedly Seekel in 

 taste, and a little in appearance; others are not. However, all 



