146 Culture of the Pear on the Apple. 



d'Amalis, we happened to possess, and, on examination, we 

 found we had inserted about one dozen buds of this variety 

 the previous autumn, and these were, at least, 100 per cent, 

 larger, on an average, than twelve or fifteen other varieties in- 

 serted at the same time, and much larger than Williams's 

 Bon Chretien, which succeeded very well. This discovery 

 afforded some self-gratification : though but jnst embarked in 

 the busmess of horticulture on the other side of " the great 

 Father of Waters," we were one year in advance of Mr. Riv- 

 ers' s article, and this we set down as one of the benefits of 

 having more than just a few of the best varieties, in order to 

 prosecute the business of fruit culture successfully. 



This quality of some varieties to grow freely or indifferently 

 on the quince, while this stock is entirely obnoxious to oth- 

 ers, has suggested some reflections in relation to the culture of 

 the pear on the apple, thorn, etc. It is said that the quality 

 of some sorts of pears is most improved by grafting on the 

 quince, and others are, perhaps, deteriorated. Does this im- 

 provement result merely from the effect of dwarfing, or does 

 it depend on some peculiarity or relation the variety bears to 

 the quince stock? Suppose it were ascertained that the Duch- 

 esse d'Angouleme was most improved by the quince stock, 

 would not this improvement be extended, in some degree, to 

 other varieties by double working on the Duchesse d'Angou- 

 leme ? We think there is yet much to be learned in relation 

 to the peculiarities of varieties before it can be ascertained 

 under precisely what circumstances each variety can be most 

 happily cultivated : and the apple stock may yet prove of ser- 

 vice in its own way. 



Mr. Humrickhouse's experiments we regard as too limited to 

 negative the importance of the apple stock altogether, and 

 only prove negatively, that, in twenty varieties, six failed to 

 grow at all. Some sixteen grew but indifferently, and were 

 short-lived : and positively three or four varieties grew tol- 

 erably well ; Williams's Bon Chretien appeared to be not at 

 all dwarfed, but promised to make standard trees, and the 

 Seckel, in accordance with Mr. Ernst's testimony, produced 

 fruit of more than twice the usual size, and of superior llavor. 

 Now if the Seckel, — until recently acknowledged " the best 

 pear in the world," — can be thus improved by the apple, who 



