1877.] ESSAY ON THE PEAE, 15 



size on the average, of a rich crimson and yellow color, which makes it 

 very attractive on the fruit stands, and also having a more sprightly, 

 vinous flavor, which I consider far superior to the Bartlett. The tree 

 makes a very healthy, vigorous growth, is perfectly hardy, and comes in- 

 to bearing young, another desirable feature. 



Kipening after the Bartlett, next in value I should place the Sheldon, 

 one of our most valuable American pears. It is not as productive a sort 

 as the two first named, but a fruit of good size and most excellent quality, 

 and becoming more and more popular every year on our fruit stands; we 

 find it also an excellent keeper, a very desirable quality in our fall pears. 

 Following the Sheldon in order of ripening comes the Louise Bonne de 

 Jersey, one of the heaviest and most regular bearing varieties now in 

 cultivation. In size it is rather below the average, but it is generally a 

 very highly colored fruit that gives it an attractive appearance on the 

 stand, and makes for it a ready sale. The Duchesse you are already 

 aware is the largest size fruit grown. It is verj'^ juicy , but a coarse grained 

 fruit, and not of the highest quality, but its extra large size commands 

 for it a ready sale at high prices. This is one variety that seems to thrive 

 best on the quince root, many having found it to be a failure on the pear 

 root. 



The Beurre Bosc is perhaps the most popular variety of October pears 

 now in the Worcester market, and the large, rich, golden russet colored 

 specimens are much sought after by the lovers of a delicious fruit. To 

 get this variety it is best to graft it upon some old trees, as it is a very 

 poor grower in the nursery row, and but few nurserymen attempt to grow 

 the tree for sale, on account of its slow crooked habit of growth. Next 

 to the Beurre Bosc, we shall place the Beurre d' Anjou, now generally 

 admitted by fruit growers and horticulturists in this section to be the 

 best in every particular of the late fall pears. It commences ripening in 

 October, and many years will keep till Thanksgiving. The President of 

 the American Pomological Society, the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, claims 

 for this sort that it is the best pear of its season grown in this country, 

 covering more points of value than any other, and all lovers of a fine 

 grained, rich, melting, high flavored fruit, will coincide in his opinion. 



For a later fall or early winter pear we have the Lawrence, a fruit of 

 medium size only, but ranking among the best in quality, being of fine 

 texture and most excellent flavor. It is also a good keeper, and ripens 

 and colors up well. I have named a list of eight varieties of pears, cov- 

 ering almost the entire season, that, in my judgment, are the most valua- 

 ble sorts for general cultivation for the market, to be found in the list of 

 pears. 



The tendency to cultivate a great number of varieties is, I think, a 



