AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 367 



THE PEAR. 



If there is some difficulty in making choice of an assortment 

 of apples, there is still more in suitably selecting pears. 



This arises not only from the great number of kinds, in- 

 creased by the annual introduction of new ones, but also still 

 more from the generally perishable nature of the fruit, and its 

 extreme liability to vary in character, and often to become 

 worthless from peculiarities of soil, season, or general climate. 

 Individual taste has also more to do with the reputation of 

 pears than perhaps with that of any other fruit, comparatively 

 few persons having such a range of acquaintance with kinds as 

 to qualify them to form a discriminating judgment by compar- 

 ison. 



A gentleman who, in his youth, had eaten pears from a cer- 

 tain tree, and remembered them as finer than any others he had 

 ever tasted, rode forty miles to enjoy again the favorite of his 

 boyhood, and to obtain scions that he might place it foremost 

 in his fruit garden, but he found it utterly worthless in com- 

 parison with those he already possessed. The circle of his 

 knowledge had been enlarged, and his maturer judgment did 

 not verify the impression of his inexperience. 



We have, however, attempted to name an assortment of kinds 

 that will not disappoint the cultivator, although in reference 

 to some of them much diversity of opinion still exists, and care- 

 ful attention to the remarks on introducing new varieties (pages 

 190 and 192) is especially urged in this connection. 



Pear-trees generally, if on good seedling stocks, form longer, 

 and fewer, and less fibrous roots than apple or cherry-trees. It 

 is therefore peculiarly proper that they should be set out while 

 small, having their roots well shortened, and the top cut back 

 to balance. A strong cedar, or locust, or chestnut- stake, deep- 

 ly set by each tree, will defend it ; and if the tree be of irreg- 

 ular or drooping habit, the stake may be used to support it, and 

 aid in training it upward. See page 246. Many kinds of 

 pear-trees have habits of growth that render them unsightly, 

 and make it sometimes difficult to secure the fruit, the tree be- 



