92 Hints on the Preparation of Fruit Borders. 



Ripe in November. 



Said to have orifjinated near New York. Specimens of the fruit 

 first presented to the Massachusetts HorticuUural Society last season. 



Clapp. N. E. Farmer, Vol. viii. p. 51. Prince's Pom. Man. 



p. 143. 



The original tree of this variety continues to grow finely, and 

 seldom fails to produce a good crop of fruit annually. The tree 

 continues to drop hs foliage about the first of September. Fruit 

 under medium size. Skin yellowish, with faint touches of red. Flesh 

 whitish, melting, juicy, the flavor much resembling the old Cathe- 

 rine or " Kattern " pear. 



Ripe the middle of August. 



This variety was raised by William Clapp, Esq. of Dorchester 

 about twenty-five years since. It has been named in compliment to 

 him. Specimens of the fruit were first presented to the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society in 1S29 by Mr. Clapp. 



In the cultivation of pears, I have committed two great mistakes — 

 one was, continuing to hold on to the old varieties for so great a length 

 of time. Thirty years since, they produced fi'uit annually, and, by 

 their constant and sure crops, I became much attached to them. 

 Now, however, only three remain, viz. — the Crasanne, Chaumon- 

 telle, and the Jargonelle. I shall engraft the two former the coming 

 spring, and if the latter continues to deteriorate as it has for the last 

 three or four years, I shall engraft that also. Several of my trees 

 are mossy, and the branches show strong marks of old age. The 

 other was, — and one which every cultivator should avoid, — cultivating 

 too many new varieties (one hundred and twenty-eight), without a 

 better knowledge of their quality, than that acquired from general 

 information. I am fully sensible I shall be obliged to cut out more 

 than half of my varieties, and it is very injurious to always be en- 

 grafting and cutting trees. The time has now arrived that a selec- 

 tion may be made with great certainty. 



Yours, Samuel Downer. 



Dorchester, January 2^t1i, 1835. 



Art. II. Some Remarks on the Disadvantages which Gardeners labor 

 under ; with Hints on the Importance of gi ring more Attention to the 

 Preparation of Fruit Borders, S>)'c. By Mr. T. Willott. 



Sirs, 



I TRUST the following remarks will not be misconstrued, as they pro- 

 ceed not from theory alone, but from actual practice and observation. 

 In England and America it is generally known, as well as by many 

 practical gardeners and horticulturalists in this vicinity, that the rea- 

 son so few good fruits and flowers are produced for exhibition and for 



