24 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Samuel Hartwell had been unfortunate in ripening his Vicars 

 until this year. He gathered the crop on the 10th of November, 

 kept them in a cool room for about a month, and then carried them 

 into a cool, dr}' cellar, and though the}' are now all gone, the}' were 

 all eaten and were ver}' nice. 



N. B. White said that if no other pear could be grown he would 

 plant Vicars. His soil was cold and he sold his Vicars for two 

 dollars and a half per barrel. Thinning will make a difference, 

 but people generally will not take the trouble to do it. • 



CM. Hovey said that all the gentleman who had spoken were 

 correct. Years ago, when we had not so many good pears as we 

 have now, the Vicar was valuable, but now they are not worth 

 carrying to market. California specimens have been sold for three 

 dollars per bushel. He had Vicars as good this 3'ear as they ever 

 were, but they will not compare with other winter pears, and can 

 now be considered as scarcely worth growing. 



Mr. Dickinson said that Mr. Hovey's soil had a cla}' bottom, 

 and he did not think 3'ou could raise a good Vicar on it. The trees 

 must be well manured and kept in a good growing state. If allowed 

 to grow too thick there will be black spots on the fruit, which is 

 very objectionable. He sold his this 3'ear for three dollars per 

 bushel, which is about as much as he could get for an3'thing. 



The Chairman remarked that Mr. Hove3" and Mr. Dickinson had 

 run neck and neck in exhibiting pears for premium. 



Mr. Wilder said that all the different opinions which had been 

 expressed were honest. Mr. Dickinson's Vicars must have been 

 better than Mr. Moore's. We do not sa3' that it will succeed well 

 ever3' where. 



Mr. Murra3' said that his trees grow on a warm, gravell3' soil, 

 and four 3'ears ago he had a bushel of fine ones, which about the 

 middle of February he sold for four dollars ; but the buyer after- 

 wards told him he could not sell him an}- more of that rubbish. 



Benjamin G. Smith did not consider it the best pear, but one of 

 the best. His finest specimens were sent to the table and the 

 others were iised for cooking. 



Mr. Hovey alluded to the fruit house built in Cambridge, on 

 Professor N3'ce's plan, some 3'ears ago, and said that he had never 

 put any pears into it but once, as he had found that pears in winter 

 are of no great value as a market product. Fruit kept well there, 

 however, and Seckels were quite plentiful in our market and of good 



