534 The Vlrgoulotise, or White Doyenne Pear. 



judge what was my surprise and disappointment to find that 

 every pear, when about half or two thirds grown, began to 

 cracl?:, and ultimately the whole proved worthless. I am, 

 therefore, forced to the conclusion that, however well the 

 Virgoulouse may do in other parts of the country, it cannot 

 be cultivated in this vicinity ; and I trust that Mr. Downing, 

 if he publishes another edition of his work, will correct his 

 statement in regard to this pear, and admit that there are 

 some parts of the country in which it cannot be produced of 

 any value. He must do this, or allow that he has himself 

 propagated the diseased stock. S. D. P. 



New Haven, Nov. 1847. 



In our Review of the Fruits and Fruit Trees, when that 

 work first appeared, we particularly noticed the paragraph 

 extracted above, and commented upon it at some length, as 

 we were quite surprised that Mr. Downing should hold to so 

 absurd a notion, that the cracking of the Doyenne pear in the 

 Eastern States was the result of its propagation on diseased 

 stocks ; and that, to grow it abundantly, it was only neces- 

 sary to procure trees from an inland nursery. We considered 

 his remarks as an attack upon the honesty of Eastern nur- 

 serymen, and defended them from so unjust an accusation. 

 The simple fact that the Doyenne pear is cultivated in many 

 gardens in Boston in all the beauty and excellence of its palm- 

 iest days, is sufficient to refute so barren an idea. Numerous 

 cases have come under our notice like that of our correspond • 

 ent ; young trees procured from the Highland Nurseries hav- 

 ing borne fruit in no way superior to old trees existing in 

 numerous gardens around Boston. 



The cracking of this and other pears must be sought from 

 some other cause than diseased stocks : we are not yet with- 

 out hope that some additional light will be thrown upon this 

 interesting subject, and that we may yet see the Doyenne 

 in all its former beauty. 



Practically, for this section of country, Mr. Kenrick's 

 views in regard to many old pears are correct. In favorable 

 situations, or upon the quince stock, the Doyenne, St. Ger- 

 main, Brown Beurre, and other pears, are produced in per- 

 fection; but, for orchard cultivation, no individual would 



