432 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



THE SECKEL PEAR. 



The fruit fror.. which the above i)ortraits were 

 taken, was from the garden of the Messrs. J. F. C. 

 Hyde, of Newton Centre. We cannot do better 

 than give Mr. Downing's description of it. He 

 says — "We do not hesitate to pronounce this Amer- 

 ican pear the richest and most exquisitelj- flavored 

 variety known. In its highly concentrated, spicy, 

 and honied flavor, it is not surpassed, nor indeed 

 equalled, by any European variety. When we add 

 to this, that the tree is the healthiest and hardiesi 

 of all pear trees, forming a fine, compact, symmet- 

 rical head, and bearing regular and abundant crops 

 in clusters at the ends of the branches, it is easy to 

 see that we consider no garden complete without 

 it. Indeed, we think it indispensable in the small- 

 est garden. The stout, short-jointed olive-colored 

 wood distinguishes this variety, as well as the pe- 

 culiar reddish-brown color of the fruit. The soil 

 should receive a top-dressing of manure frequently, 

 when the size of the pear is an object. The Seckel 

 pear originated on the farm of Mr. Seckel, about 

 four miles from Philadelphia. It was sent to 

 Europe by the late Dr. Hosack, in 1819, and the 

 fruit was pronounced by the London Horticultural 

 Societj', exceeding in flavor the richest of their au* 

 tumn pears. 



Fruit small, (except in rich soils,) regularly 

 formed, obovate. Skin brownish-green at first, be- 



coming dull yellowish-brown, Avith a lively russet 

 red cheek. Stalk half to three-fourths of an inch 

 long, slightly curved, and set in a trifling depres- 

 sion. Calyx small, and placed in a basin scarcely 

 at all sunk. Flesh whitish, buttery, very juicy and 

 melting, with a peculiarly rich, spicy flavor and 

 aroma. It ripens gradually in the house, from the 

 end of August to the last of October. 



Essex County. — We are pleased to learn that 

 the late Dr. John G. Trk\dwell, who recently 

 died in Salem, has by legacy left the Essex County 

 Agricaltural Society a farm of seventy acres in the 

 town of Topsfield, to be used as an experimental 

 form. Blessings will rest on the memory of the 

 man. Why has not a similar bequcathment long 

 before this been made in old Middlesex ? If men 

 understood better what would perpetuate their 

 good name, they would often give their philan- 

 thropy a different direction. 



Soap. — Some one has sent us a glowing descrip- 

 tion of this article, from which we are almost led 

 to believe that it would wash the skin of an Ethi- 

 opian, white. He says some female has written 

 for our columns, who has been experimenting with 

 soap, and has found borax mixed with it very eco- 

 nomical. He desires her to try his soap — well, we 



