38 Notes and Gleanings. 



well in the north ; but to my mind it is remarkable that they are so well adapted 

 to the south. Mr. Manning remarks that the Tetofsky succeeds admirably as 

 dwarfs, and he might have said the same of the Red Astrachan, and Duchess of 

 Oldenburg and Alexander. 



The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. — Your notice, Mr. Editor, of 

 this admirable work is excellent. The criticisms are just, but you certainly have 

 not praised it too highly — I think not highly enough. When a man who hears 

 a fruit mentioned that he is not familiar with, finds himself involuntarily turning 

 to this encyclopaedia, and seldom closing it in disappointment, he does not need 

 much more to convince him that "such a work stands at the top of the list, and to 

 lead him to honor the name of the brothers to whose labors he is indebted. 



The Hadley or Kirtland Pear. — We have received from Mr. E. Mon- 

 tague, of Hadley, Mass., a communication, prompted by the note on this variety 

 in our November number, which we immediately referred to R. M., and which 

 we give below with his comments. He says, — 



" I am very glad that my note on the Hadley or Kirtland pear has brought out 

 so interesting a communication from Mr. Montague, though it unsettles a ques- 

 tion which has long puzzled me, and which I supposed, at last, satisfactorily 

 solved. 



" The only mention of the Hadley pear in print, that I know of, is the follow- 

 ing, from the Horticultural Register and Gardener's Magazine, edited by 

 Thomas G. Fessenden and Joseph Breck ; Boston, 1836, vol. ii. p. 72. ' I found 

 the Hadley pear — the original tree, I think — growing in the garden of a Mr. 

 Montague, at Hadley. It is a fine melting pear, moderate size, covered with yellow 

 russet, not much extended by grafting in that neighborhood. I could not ascer- 

 tain whether it is the same with the Capsheaf, as is suggested as probable in the 

 New American Orchardist of Mr. Kenrick. Perhaps the description I have 

 given of it will enable those acquainted with the Capsheaf to determine. M. S. 



" ' Berlin, Conn., December 24, 1S35.' 



" The mention of the Hadley by Mr. Kenrick is, in 1835, "nder the Capsheaf, as 

 a supposed synonyme ; but it is wholly distinct, and was entirely omitted in a later 

 edition. Before writing the paragraph in your November number, I called on 

 Mr. Breck, and asked him if he knew the writer of the paragraph signed ' M. C. ; ' 

 but he did not ; and there I was obliged to cease my efforts to trace the history 

 of the Hadley, though I should have been very glad to examine it more fully had I 

 known then, as I do now, where to look. I also wrote to Dr. Kirtland, stating 

 the facts as far as known to me, and received a reply, which I now send you. 



" Of the identity of the Hadley and Kirtland, whatever their origin, I think there 

 can be no doul^t, as I have them both grafted into one tree, and with the most 

 careful comparison, I have been unable to detect any difference, though after 

 learning what I have as to their origin, I shall, of course, make another careful 

 examination. 



" I confess that I am unable to account for the double origin of this pear, and 

 the suggestions of Dr. Kirtland and Mr. Montague are hardly admissible, the 

 former being contradicted by the early date at which the Hadley was known ; 

 and Dr. Kirtland's well-known pomological skill forbids the idea that he could 

 have been deceived in regard to the original tree of the Kirtland, while the sup- 

 po.sition that he would knowingly have sent out an old variety under his name as 

 new, is not for a moment to be entertained. Under these circumstances I can 

 only suggest that you should pu])lish Ijoth Dr. Kirtland's and Mr. Montague's 

 letters, that your readers may form their own opinion of the matter." 



