THE ADAMS PEAR. 



Adams. Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xx. 1854. 



The Adams is one of the recent additions to oirr 

 increasing list of American pears, and may justly claim 

 a prominent place among our best varieties. It ripens 

 at an opportune season, just as the Bartlett is past its 

 prime, and well supplies the place of that popular 

 variety, resembhng it much in appearance, — surpassing 

 it in beauty, — rivalling it in productiveness, — and ex- 

 celling it in quality. If it equalled it in size, — a quality 

 deemed so essential by many, — it would undoubtedly 

 be considered the greatest of recent acquisitions. 

 The Adams is a Massachusetts pear, and was raised in Waltham by 

 Dr. H. Adams, a zealous amateur of that place. Through his kindness 

 we were early supplied with the scions, and, after fruiting it in our col- 

 lection, we gave a full account of it in the Magazine of Horticulture, 

 accompanied with a brief history of its origin by Dr. Adams, in which 

 he states that "it was produced in his garden, and was grown from a 

 fruit of the Seckel which stood near a Bartlett. The seed was planted 

 in the autumn of 1836, and first bore fruit in 1848. It is a vigorous 

 tree, and an abundant and constant bearer, never having failed to per- 

 fect a crop since it began to bear." We named it the Adams in honor 

 of its originator. 



It is undoubtedly the result of an accidental cross of the Seckel with 

 the Bartlett ; for the tree, in its growth and habit, resembles the Seckel, 

 while the leaves and fruit resemble the Bartlett. The fruit also, in a 

 degree, seems to combine the characteristics of the two ; being more 

 brisk and sprightly than the Bartlett, with something of the flavor of 

 the Seckel. We have fruited it now for four or five years, and do not 

 hesitate to pronounce it one of our best pears. 



The tree is a vigorous grower, with an upright and nearly erect habit, 

 making a rather compact and fine pyramidal head, even without the aid 

 of the pruning-knife, somewhat resembling the Seckel. It does not 

 appear to thrive very well upon the quince. It comes into bearing 

 rather early. 



Tree. — Vigorous, upright, erect, and very symmetrical in habit, 

 forming its branches regularly and at a rather acute angle ; annual 

 growth moderately stout, straight, and of medium length. 



