THE DIX PEAR. 



Dix. New England Farmer, vol. viii. p. 161, 1830. 



Few, if any, of our native pears hold a higher rank 

 than the Dix. The large size, beautiful appearance, 

 and exquisite flavor of its fruit, added to the vigor 

 and hardiness of the tree, its productiveness, con- 

 stant bearing, and period of maturity, give it a com- 

 bination of quahties which but few varieties possess. 

 "When originally brought into notice, in 1829, it was 

 pronounced " one of the very best autumn pears, 

 which might, with the greatest safety, be introduced 

 into oui' gardens ;" and twenty yeai's' experience have 

 fully confirmed the correctness of that opinion. 

 The Dix originated in Boston, in the garden of Madame Dix, in com- 

 pliment to whom it was named, about thirty-five years ago. The tree 

 sprung from seed near the house, and grew so rapidly, that, in 1829, it 

 had attained the height of twenty-three feet, with a stem ten inches in 

 diameter ; it still stands in the same spot, and has now become a very 

 lai'ge tree. It first began to bear in 1825, but did not produce a full 

 crop till 1829, since which time it has continued to bear abundant 

 crops of fine fruit. 



The Dix is very late in coming into bearing, and, on this account, 

 cultivators have often rejected it in making a selection of fine pears. 

 The average period of its fruiting is eight or ten years, occasionally in 

 four or five, but oftener twelve and upwards. It has, however, the good 

 quality of constant bearing after it has attained a fruiting state, and the 

 pears ripen off as freely as the Baldwin apple. It does not succeed 

 upon the quince unless double-worked. 



The Dix is one of the most marked varieties in the nursery. The 

 wood is almost as yellow, smooth, and slender, as a willow; but the tree 

 has an erect and upright habit, and in time forms a large and fine head. 

 Teee. — ^Vigorous, upright, with rather long and slender annual shoots, 

 occasionally thorny, horizontal at first, but erect at the ends ; as the 

 branches become older they assume a rather straggling habit. 



Wood. — Clear light yellow, smooth and glossy, with very minute dots, 

 slender and rather long-jointed ; old wood, pale olive yellow ; buds, 

 medium size, roundish ovate, sHghtly diverging, with very prominent 

 shoulders : Flower-buds, medium size. 



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