74 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The piiblic certainly owe much to Mr. Strong, not only for his con- 

 stant endeavors to advance the science of horticulture, but for his 

 careful and impartial statement of results. It is hj the close observa- 

 tion of causes and effects, and the influences of times and seasons, and 

 by making due allowance for the peculiar circumstances of the case, 

 that experience becomes knowledge of value to the public. 



The Committee recommend that a gratuity of twenty-five dollars be 

 awarded to Mr, Strong for his very useful experiments in horticulture. 



On the same day your Committee visited the 



Pear Orchard of Mr. Henry P. Kendeick of Brighton, 



near West Longwood, or Allston. It has a front on North Beacon 

 Street of about three hundred feet, and extends back about eight hun- 

 dred and fifty feet; one fourth part of it, near the S. E. corner, being 

 too low for immediate cultivation, and the house and barn standing 

 above that portion. The part planted with trees is nearly level, 

 and constitutes about two-thirds of the whole area. One year ago, 

 last spring, this ground Avas a bog, overgrown with brush and waste 

 clumps of weeds and alders; but perceiving that the soil was strong 

 and mellow, Mr. Kendrick resolved to drain and plant it, and with 

 that pluck which so often characterizes the Yankee when he attempts 

 a new enterprise, he ploughed the groimd in May, 1867, and by the 

 5th of June of that year had planted his pear trees, numbering 

 about three thousand, losing only about a dozen. Thirty-two of his trees 

 were over five inches in diameter, and fifteen years old when planted. 

 Having excavated a pond in the lowest land, and used the earth to 

 level up the orchard, he first laid out, at right angles to the street, 

 three drive-ways, each twelve feet wide, running entirely to the back 

 line of his lot, with a like drive-way around the borders. These drive- 

 ways were crossed at right angles, by five others of the same width, 

 with perfect precision. He then planted seven rows of trees between 

 the ways. Four rows for standards, twelve feet apart, and three for 

 sale trees, each row containing twenty-five trees. Thus, like a checker- 

 board, with perfect squares, the trees were all arranged in line, both for 

 standards and for sale. The rocks were few, and were all gathered 

 into the driveways, for stability, or converted into underground drains. 

 The plantings did not exhibit any straining after the newest names — 

 but nearly two-thirds of all were the Louise Bonne, Duchesse and 

 Belle Lucrative; the residue were the Bartlett, Sheldon and Beurre 

 d'Anjou. The last season he gathered twelve bushels of Louise Bonnes, 

 of such quality that seven boxes of them sold for fifty dollars. Many 

 of his Duchesse weighed over a pound. The trees had been cut in, at 

 the outset, and are now well shaped and of good foliage. He has also 

 planted a few grape vines, and made his place a specimen of neatness. 



