THE PEAR 177 



hitherto has made the raising of this fruit a more 

 or less precarious industry. 



IDEALS AND POSSIBILITIES 



As to the other needs and possibilities of pear 

 development, not much need be said. Reference 

 has elsewhere been made to the desirability of 

 giving the pear a brilliant color; but this can 

 doubtless be accomplished without great diffi- 

 culty. It has also been noted that as to size of 

 fruit, as well as in the matter of form, there is 

 little to be desired by way of change. 



There is, however, one quality that the special- 

 ized pears have markedly lacked. They will keep 

 for a time if picked while green, and will ripen 

 off the tree. But if allowed to ripen on the tree 

 they decay very quickly after picking. It is ob- 

 viously desirable that the pear should be given 

 keeping qualities. But here, as in case of im- 

 munity to the blight, the solution is already in 

 sight. "j 



Among the varied fruits of my hybrid seed- 

 lings, there are some that produce winter pears 

 that keep quite as well as ordinary winter apples. 



These furnish the foundation for future hy- 

 bridizing and selecting experiments, through 

 which, without question, it will be possible to 

 produce races of pear having all the qualities of 



