82 MASSACHUSETTS IIOHTI CULTURAL SOCIKTY. 



Pears," I find eighty-seven ; of which seventeen varieties only are 

 seen at our exhibitions, and but four of these are generally approved, 

 viz. : the Barllett, Bose, Seckel, and Angouleme, iind the rest are 

 only occasionally shown. In the list of now pears received in 

 this country from Europe in the years 1834 to 1836, consisting of 

 of a hundred and forty varieties, which have been tried by our 

 cultivators and (most of them) shown on our tables within the 

 past forty years, I find but two that are now considered worthy 

 of cultivation ; and Mr. Kenrick mentions a hundred other sorts 

 received but not tried. 



In the catalogue of the late William R. Prince of Flushing, 

 N. Y., for the year 1839, designating by name three hundred and 

 sixty-seven varieties, I find but thirteen varieties that are seen on 

 our tables. Then we are made aware of the very numerous sorts 

 of pears which were being brought into notice forty or fifty years 

 ago — more than three hundred and fifty varieties, out of which less 

 than twenty are on our premium list for the present year, and 

 the other three hundred and thirty have practically goue out of 

 cultivation. In the meantime very many more sorts have been 

 introduced, in large part seedlings of American origin ; and out 

 of this vast number twenty-five varieties would be quite as many 

 as are worthy of the Society's approval and encouragement. 



Now, it would be unfair to state that tliis very large number 

 found unworthy of cultivation have degenerated ; doubtless many 

 causes contributed to influence their rejection. Some were found 

 poor growers ; the fruit in many cases lacked the qualities essential 

 in good pears ; some seemed naturally predisposed to blight and 

 other disease ; and many seemed unsuited to the soil and climate. 



But it appears althougli difficult to i)rove, in the case of some 

 sorts once highly esteemed for general cultivation but now become 

 degenerate, tliat the tree has aheady lived the time allotted by 

 nature, and its production of fruit in its enfeebled condition is 

 prolonged only by nursing or by engrafting on other and vigorous 

 stocks. This suggestion o|)ens quite another phase of the ques- 

 tion, viz., How much can fruitage be prolonged by the process of 

 engrafting or budding? 



There was formerly an adage, " lie who plants pears plants 

 for his heirs," while now he who plants pears gathers a crop in a 

 few years ; and the trees mature, bear fruit, and die, even before 

 the heirs aic born. But it can easily be demonstrated that the 



