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subsoil, had an ameliorating efiect upon the fruit. But how- 

 ever this may be, it is pretty certain that the trees have received 

 more care and attention near our large cities on the coast than 

 in the interior. Tlie pear delights in a deep, rich'soil, inclined 

 to clay, or clayey loam ; yet we often see very good results on 

 a light, or sandy loam soil. Some varieties, as the Buffum or 

 Louise Bonne, do best in a light soil, while others, as the 

 Duchesse and Beurre Did, require a damp and rich one. 

 Fifteen or twenty years ago, when apple orchards were in their 

 glory, and apples were plenty and cheap, very little attention 

 was given to pears, except near the cities. But those days 

 have passed away, with the appearance of the canker-worm, the 

 borer, the apple-worm and excessive droughts, and now not 

 one apple tree is planted, where there were a hundred then. 

 With the present prospect for apples, it may yet appear that 

 apple trees are worth preserving. There has been of late 

 much complaint of the so-called Dwarf pear, and probably for 

 most purposes the standard is much the best, but at present we 

 will confine ourselves wholly to the standard pear, or that 

 worked upon the pear stock, and afterwards shall have a word 

 to say in favor of the dwarf, or that worked on the quince stock. 

 The first thing to be considered in planting the pear, whether 

 by the person who plants a few trees for family use, or by him 

 who plants more largely for profit, is a suitable soil. None of 

 our land is too good ; choose the best — such land as would 

 raise heavy corn, grass or vegetables — deep loam, or better if 

 inclined to clay. If it is so wet that water will stand upon it 

 two or three days after the frost is out, imderdrain it ; if it is 

 so damp that it will not work well and pidvertze for a week or 

 two later still, underdrain it ; not with stones, merely covering 

 them a foot or two, but thoroughly and sufficiently with tiles. 

 To any one who has never tried, it is surprising to see the 

 effect of thorough underdraining, even on any common crop ; 

 and the cost is not so much as people would at first suppose. 

 When land is underdrained extensively, the cost does not 

 generally exceed $40 per acre, when the tiles are 3| to 4 feet 

 deep and 30 to 40 feet apart. Who that owns a garden would 

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