FRUIT committee's REPORT. 77 



qualities of the different varieties, and the best modes of growing them. 

 And then, how has this cultivation generally been conducted ? In most 

 instances efforts have been directed, not towards producing fine fruit in the 

 greatest perfection and quantity, but in the greatest number of varieties. 

 Cultivators have gone on planting promiscuously varieties of feeble growth 

 and sickly constitution equally with the vigorous and hardy ; very many of 

 these proving to be of indifferent or worthless quality, others unproductive 

 with fruit deficient in size, leaving but a small proportion of such as were 

 fertile and vigorous, and at the same time bearing fruit of good quality and 

 adapted to the market. And this same system has been pursued by growers 

 of every class — by the man with only a small garden plat equally with 

 those of greater pretensions in the extent of their grounds. To all, the 

 sickly and feeble sorts of Europe, if but announced as novelties with some 

 high sounding designation, have been objects of attraction too powerful to 

 be resisted, leading to the neglect of established kinds of known excellence. 



The great interest this cultivation has created has also sometimes led to 

 the planting of soil not adapted to the tree, or not properly prepared for the 

 purpose ; for every one wishes to grow pears, and as a disposition exists to 

 gratify the inclination at the least cost, sometimes the mistake has been 

 couimitted of setting out trees that could be got at the lowest price, without 

 reference to quality — a policy that could hardly fail to defeat its own object. 



Is it wonderful that a culture so pursued has not been productive of pro- 

 fitable results ? would it not have been more remarkable if it had been ? 

 In what is here said of course it is not intended to depreciate the importance 

 of collections of a great number of varieties. An opinion of the value of 

 such has already been expressed ; but when pursued as a matter of profit 

 it has been, it is thought, a mistake not to limit the cultivation to varieties 

 of tried and established excellence. 



But to return to the question proposed. Can we groxo pears'? To this it 

 is confidently answered, Yes, if conditions essential to success are com- 

 plied with, and then only. In the first place, when possible, a suitable sit- 

 uation, with a proper exposure, should be selected, one somewhat sheltered 

 from the violent winds that so prevail in this latitude, frequently causing 

 such injurious effects ; and secondly, a soil adapted to the object. When 

 the soil is not naturally favorable, it may frequently be made so by artificial 

 means — by cultivation, trenching, and underdraining. A gentleman already 

 named, Mr. Bacon, affords a striking example of what can be effected in 

 this way, who, on a soil certainly not naturally promising, — a marsh, over 

 which the tide occasionally flowed, — has, by his skill and industry, by the 

 addition of soil and other ingredients, and a most thorough system of drain- 

 ing, created one of the uiost beautiful and productive fruit gardens m the 

 neighborhood of Boston. And similar results have been produced by Mr. 

 Ames and others in the same vicinity, under somewhat similar circum- 

 stances. Another requisite of success is the proper cultivation of the trees 

 after planting, the application of manure in sufficient quantity of the right 

 kind, and, above all, as may be inferred from the preceding remarks, it is 

 believed a proper selection of varieties is essential to profitable results. A 



