50 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



separate from the limb by lifting the fruit, and carried into the 

 house, put into boxes or bulk and covered up ; the cooler the 

 place they are in the longer it will require to ripen them. If left 

 upon the tree until fully ripe, the most of the summer and fall 

 varieties will be dr}^ and devoid of that fine flavor that belongs to 

 them. 



I see no reason why pears cannot be raised in any section of 

 Maine where we can raise apples (except the Ironclads) . To be 

 sure, it costs more to raise a bushel of pears than it does a bushel 

 of apples, but they bring more in the market. I see no reason why 

 the fruit growers of Maine should allow other states to furnish the 

 most of the pears that are sold in our larger towns and cities. 

 There is certainly no reason wh}- a majority of the farmers of 

 Maine should not have their little pear orchard, and in that way fur- 

 nish their families with all the delicious, ripe pears the}' want for the 

 table, from the first of August till into the winter months, and also 

 to can for the remainder of the year. I have no fruit that children 

 seem more pleased with than a good ripe pear, and I also find that 

 children of a larger growth do not object to them. 



DISCUSSION. 



Question. It was reported a few years ago that the apple borer 

 would not trouble pear trees. What is your experience? 



Mr. Weston. I am not much troubled with the root borer. The 

 trunk borer troubles me most. They sometimes enter the tree 

 through the little holes in the bark found where the sun strikes the 

 trees in the afternoon. 



Question. What course do you take to prevent the cracking of 

 the Flemish Beauty ? 



Mr. Weston. I^foundJJno way to prevent this, and grafted the 

 trees with Bartletts, receiving a good crop four years afterward. 



Question. I have a tree that has blown quite full, but I have 

 succeeded in getting only one pear. What do you think is the mat- 

 ter with it? 



Mr. Weston. Well, that is my experience with root-grafted trees. 

 In a few years your tree will probably die. I get good results by 

 setting seedling trees and grafting [the top. I have about two hun- 

 dred such trees that are doing well. 



Question. What isjyour opinion of the Sheldon pear? 



