288 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



pear will also grow on the white-thorn. The best way. 

 however, is to graft the pear on its own natural stock, se- 

 lecting scions from the best trees, as in the case of apple- 

 trees. 



Let some part of the selection also, as in the case of 

 peachtrees, last mentioned, be made from trees whose fruit 

 ripens at different times, in order to have a full supply for 

 family-use. Generally, it may be observed, that the culture 

 which is proper for an appletree, is also proper for a pear- 

 tree. 



See APPLETREES, ORCHARD, FRUIT-TREES, NURSERY, 

 TRANSPLANTING, Sec, 



PERRY. To make good perry, manage the pears in the 

 same manner that apples are directed to be managed to 

 make good cider, with this difference, that the pears need 

 not be sweated so long as the apples, by being laid in heaps 

 for that purpose. 

 See CIDER. 



A drink, called fierkin, is also made from the pressed 

 cheese of pears, in the same manner that ciderkin is made 

 from that of Apples. 



More attention should be paid in this Country to the se- 

 lection of such peartrees as bear plentifully, and yearly, of 

 the best kinds of fruit. 



See CUTINGS, ORCHARD, 8cc. 



PLANETREE, OR BUTTONWOOD (Platanus Occi- 

 dentalis.) This tree is a native of this Country. It grows 

 rapidly, and is useful in pastures for shade, and ornamental 

 in many situations. It is good for fuel; but very difficult 

 to split, owing to the crookedness and intermixture of the 

 fibres of the wood. 



This circumstance would, however, seem to render it 

 particularly valuable to cultivate, for being sawed into 

 boards for cabinet-work; for these, when polished, and 

 colored in the manner we shall mention, are said to be as 

 beautifully clouded) as the clouded mahogany. 



The color of mahogany is given to this wood, by staining 

 it with a mixture of Dragonsblood, from the Canaries (not 

 that from Madagascar) and oil of turpentine, boiled in a 

 stone or porcelain vessel, and laid on boiling hot. If the 

 boards can be boiled in this mixture, it will stain them 

 nearly through. 



If the wood of this tree be free from any disposition to 

 warp or twist, when sawed into boards, it may be found 

 valuable for being made into furniture, when the method 

 of giving it the mahogany -color is known. 



