318 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



very distinctly characterized by its long, conical form; crop moderate, and flavor rather 

 indifferent. 



Longworth's Prolific and McAvoy's Superior, of which we had good beds, in fine order for a 

 fair trial, have both turned out poorly ; the crop has been light, and the berries of both 

 imperfectly filled out. This, by-the-by, is a general failing of all the Cincinnati varieties. 

 While I still rank these two varieties as good, I decidedly prefer, for our section, Burr's new 

 Pine and Walker's seedling. The latter variety is of undoubted excellence and value as a 

 staminatc. 



Moyamensing improves by acquaintance, and is really a productive and excellent fruit. 

 Iowa "Iowa male," as some call it, and "Washington," as many of the Cincinnati growers 

 have it is a prodigious bearer, (staminate,) of a pale-red color and rather indifferent flavor, 

 very hardy and valuable for market. Jenny's seedling, when fairly treated, is an abundant 

 bearer and a good berry, hardy and vigorous. Genesee has been pretty extensively tested, 

 and proves to be a great favorite. It is a staminate uncommonly hardy and vigorous ; the 

 berry large, roundish oblong, with a long neck ; color, light shining red, very beautiful ; flavor, 

 medium. Monroe Scarlet continues to prove, whenever tested, an immense bearer, of good 

 size and fair quality. The " Orange Prolific" is a prodigious bearer, bright color, firm, and 

 quite late. Hooker's seedling, raised by H. E. Hooker, of Rochester, a large conical, dark- 

 crimson bearer, like Black Prince, evidently a seedling from it ; very productive ; of good 

 quality ; will rank among the best new sorts ; a good match for Walker's, which is also 

 from Black Prince, no doubt. Two years ago, I received from some one in Steuben county, 

 New York, a few plants called "Steuben's seedling." This season they have borne well; 

 fruit, dark-red, firm, and of good flavor; plant, very hardy, vigorous, and productive. I 

 think well of it ; but it now requires more than ordinary merit to entitle a new sort to 

 attention. We have tested many new foreign sorts so fully as to warrant an opinion on their 

 value here. 



Bicton Pine I still think well of; indeed, I think more of it than ever. It is like most 

 other foreign sorts, not so hardy as our native varieties, which have mostly the scarlets for 

 their type ; but, with a trifling protection, it may be wintered safely anywhere, and bear a 

 good crop of large, handsome, flesh-colored berries, having an agreeable musky aroma. 

 Cremont Perpetual, which created a sensation some years ago around Paris, proves to be not 

 a perpetual, as the famous "Crescent seedling ;" but we have gathered from it this season a 

 crop of magnificent berries. Belle Blanche, from France, proves to be identical with Bicton 

 Pine. Triomph de Gand, from Belgium, is a large, handsome, light-crimson fruit, of rather 

 indifferent flavor, and bears well. Due de Brabant, from Belgium, rather large, long conical, 

 bright shining red ; flavor, musky and agreeable. Very early ; well worthy of trial. Cobi 

 Prolific (English) shows a wonderful profusion of bloom, and sets a fair crop of berries ; 

 roundish, slightly flattened, dark-red ; flavor, medium. Trollope's Victoria promises better 

 than any other English variety ever received here. The plant is hardy, vigorous, and bears 

 a large crop of magnificent fruit, rivalling the British Queen in its best condition ; roundish 

 ovate, light shining red ; flavor would rank as good. Among fifty sorts, this has borne away 

 the palm in appearance. Ingram's Prince of Wales, from England, Honneur de Belgique and 

 Compte de Flanders, from Belgium, all give sufficient promise to warrant more extensive trial. 



I may state here that the season was remarkably favorable for the production of large 

 crops of strawberries and large fruits. Rainy, cool weather, more English than American ; 

 flavor was not so good as usual. I have been told by a gentleman, whose word I cannot 

 doubt, that, from an acre of land under Large Early Scarlet, over one hundred and twenty 

 bushels of fruit were gathered, and sold at an average to the dealers at about ten cents per 

 quart. 



Raising New Varieties of Pear from the Seed. 



THE following communication on the above subject is communicated to the Philadelphia 

 Horticulturist, by Thomas Rivers, of England : 



For some twenty years or more, I have occasionally raised pears from seeds, and must 

 confess that my success has been nothing to boast of; but latterly I have, in a measure, 



