38 MASSACHUSETTS HOHTICULTUllArj SOCIETY. 



The display of pears at the Annual Exhibition was abundant 

 and fine, raising the question, wliere we should find room lor a 

 similar exhibition in a good apple-year; more than a Immlred 

 and sixty dishes being offered for the twenty-two j)rizes for single 

 dishes. The premium collections, comprising in all two hundred 

 dishes, were found to be composed as follows: There were 15 

 dishes of Beunv d'Anjou, the great jtoiuilarity of this variety being 

 shown by the fact that it was contained in every collection with 

 one exception, surpassing in general aeceptance even that old fa- 

 vorite, the Bartlett ; and it is worthy of note, that, while the j)()pu- 

 larity of other kinds has ebbed and flowed, thcBeurre d'Anjou has 

 g(tne on steadily increasing in favor IVom the beginning, until it is 

 almost universally acknowledged to be the most valuable of till 

 pears. Next to Beurre d'Anjou came Bartlett and Duchesse 

 d'Angouleme,of which there were 18 each ; Louise Bonne, I'J; Law- 

 rence, Beurit- Jjosc, Sheldon, and Swan's Orange, 11 each ; Urban- 

 iste. Belle Lucrative, and Seckel, 8 each ; Beurre Plardy, Beurrc 

 Diel, Beurre Superfin, Howell, and Beurre Clairgeau, 7 each ; 

 Doyenne du Comicc, G ; Dana's Hovey, 5 ; Beurrc Langlier, 4. 

 These nineteen varieties conijtrised seven-eighths of all the collec- 

 tions, and may be taken as re))resenting the conclusions of our best 

 cultivators as to the most desirable autumn pears. The remain- 

 der of the collections was made up of Marie Louise, Vicar of 

 Winkfield, St. Michel Archange, and Doyenne Boussock, 3 each; 

 Abbott, Andrews, Winter Nelis, and Easter Beurre, 2 each ; ami 

 1 dish each of Caen du France, Conseiller de la Cour, Golden 

 Beiirii-, Merriam, Moore's Pound, Pratt, Paradise d'Automne, Passe 

 Colmar, and Glout Morceau. The prize for the best single dish of 

 " any other sort" than those named was again awarded (d that fine 

 new pear, the Mount Vernon. The first pri/.e for new pears was 

 awarded to Hon. JNIarsliall P. Wilder, who exhibited iorly-two 

 varieties never before shown on our tables. We are indebted to 

 the kindness of JMr. Wihler ior the following notes on some of 

 the most valuable kinds contained in this collection : — 



" Agreeably to your request, I herewilli ti-ansmit sketches from my 

 notes of SOUK! of the new pears which have ripened with me for the 

 first time. This first trial may not be oouclusive in relation to their 

 actual merits, but probably affords sufticient ground to form a judg- 

 ment as to their ultimate value. There is one change in the char- 

 acter of the new pears imported from Europe whicli it is very grati- 

 fying to note, — a much larger proportion than formerly are of meri- 

 torious character, while the number of worthless kinds is much 



