1847.] Management of Pear Trees. 161 



stock; on the quince the fruit are hirger, more handsome, of per- 

 fect flavor, and they invariably ripen well. 



No. 6. On the pear stock here (it must be borne in mind that I 

 am always referring to trees in the open quarters — not wall trees); 

 this is a most crab-like pear, bearing not very seldom, and never 

 ripening; on the quince it bears well, is of high flavor, and always 

 ripens in April and May; it is, however, inclined to be gritty at 

 the core, and this at present is the only pear I have found to be so 

 from the quince stock. 



No. 19. This is a perfect crab from trees on the pear stock; from 

 the quince it is very melting and juicy, and really a good small 

 late pear. 1 ate my last and only specimen this day, May 2Q. 



No. 21. Grows freely here on the pear stock, and blooms free- 

 ly, yet seldom bears any clear fruit; they are generally full of 

 spots, and often do not ripen at all kindly. On the quince stock 

 it bears clear handsome fruit, which invariably ripen, and are very 

 highly flavored. 



No. 23. On ray finest soil here, a tender loam, six feet in depth, 

 subsoil sand, this sort always cankers, and very seldom produces 

 any good fruit; in short, it is a very shy bearer when on the i)ear 

 stock; on the quince it grows freely, and bears most abundantly; 

 fruit, fine and clear, and of high flavor. 



No. 25. This, of all the pears I know, is most benefitted by 

 working on the quince. My specimen tree, on a pear stock, now 

 twelve years old, has scarcely borne a dozen good clear fruit, and 

 some standards of nearly twenty years' growth canker at the tips 

 of their shoots, and their fruit is in most seasons spotted and mis- 

 shapen. On the quince how different! I have trees from three 

 to five years old full of fruit, and these have hitherto every sea- 

 son been large, remarkably high-colored, beautiful, and of the 

 highest flavor. " Constant Readei" will, I think, see that I have 

 some confidence in the quince stock, when I state that I have a 

 young plantation of this variety on the quince of 1500 trees, 

 which I hope to make up in the autumn to 3000; these are to 

 bear to supply the London market. At the expense of being 

 thought a little egotistical, I must tell him that I am not only a 

 pear tree grower, but also a pear grower; Providence has kindly 

 blessed me with fifty acres of good land, on which roses and pears, 

 and I know not what, seem to be " very happy;" this is a favor- 

 ite phrase with one of our best gardeners, who, when he sees a 

 tree in fine order, or one the contrary, designates them " happy 

 and unhappy trees." 



No. 27 bears here on the pear stock, a tremendous quantity of 

 fruit; these are often inclined to speck, and they seldom ripen 

 well in the fruit room. On the quince stock the fruit are clear, 

 always ripen well, and are of the highest flavor. I have, as above 



No. 17. 11 



