ESSAY ON PEAR TREES. 109 



the growth of the tree, becomes transformed into a slow poison. 

 When the sap rises in the spring the poisoned sap becomes mixed 

 with it and is carried to the various branches of the tree and causes 

 the effects described. The remedy for it is to cut off the affected 

 branches as soon as the blight appears. Downing recommends 

 whitewashing the trunk and branches of the tree in the fall as a pre. 

 ventive against this disease. Whitewash reflects the rays of the sun- 

 and prevents the rapid thawing of the bark which causes the blight. 

 There is however but little to be apprehended with us from the fro. 

 zen sap blight except to trees planted in rich and damp soils and it 

 is only to trees planted in such positions that the preventive will bo 

 useful. In light soils the wood ripens sufficiently early to be out of 

 the way of the frost. In addition to the diseases named, the leaves 

 of the pear tree are subject in July and August to attacks of th e 

 slug worm. These may be easily destroyed by applying a mixture of 

 whale oil soap and water to the leaves, or by throwing wood ashes on 

 them in damp weather. Ives in his excellent work on fruit trees 

 makes mention of an insect which he calls coccus, which attaches it- 

 self to, and sometimes covers the bark, for which he recommends a 

 strong solution of whale oil soap and water, applied with a stiff 

 brush. 



Crathering the Fruit. — Summer and Fall pears should with very 

 few exceptions be gathered before they are fully ripe, and allowed to 

 mature in the house. Some extensive growers have apartments fit- 

 ted up with shelves expressly for this purpose. Most superior varie- 

 ties if permitted to ripen on the trees, become dry and insipid. 

 Another advantage of gathering them before maturity is that they 

 ripen gradually and are a longer time in eating. The fruit and 

 trees are also prevented from injury from storms and high winds by 

 this method. Winter pears should be allowed to remain on the tree 

 as long as possible without danger of injury from the frost, and when 

 gathered should be carefully packed and kept in a dry place. 



Varieties of the Pear. The varieties of the pear are almost end- 

 less. New kinds are obtained by crossing, and in the garden of the 

 Horticultural society at London, more than seven hundred kinds 

 have been proved. Most of these originated in Belgium, although 

 some of the finest, such as the Seckle, the Dix, Buffum's, Dearborn's 

 seedling and Andrew's pears, originated in this country. Many of 

 the Belgian pears which have been cultivated with great success in that 



