1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



123 



shapes ; some so high that a fishpolc would hardly 

 reach to the lowest limits, and by nothing short 

 of a fire ladder and a sailor could the fruit be 

 gathered. Others I liave seen trained so \ovr to 

 the ground that hardly a calf, much less a pair 

 of oxen, could walk under the limbs. 



As to "casualties," they are common and are to 

 be expected. A heavily laden tree, even if care- 

 fully propped, will sometimes give way under its 

 load. 



I may add that fruit trees require pruning more 

 than forest trees, because their culture is, in a 

 measure, artificial. 



I3 "A Reader" as much "unsettled?" 



Concord, Mass., Jan., 1855. w. D. b. 



For the New England Farmer. 



ABOUT PEAH TREES. 



Mr. Browx : — Dear Sir, — I want again to say 

 one word upon the sultject of pear trees before I 

 leave your paper, or ratlier, before it leaves me. 

 I have, during tlie last ten years, given some 

 attention to the garden culture of pear trees. I 

 began, ten years ago, with planting out some 

 half dozen from Long Island, one and two years 

 from the bud, costing something like a dollar and 

 a dollar and a half apiece. They had a growth 

 of five and six feet. I put them'into as good soil 

 as there was in the garden, on the border of a 

 biink raised about two feet, and manured and 

 cultivated every year since ; but I cannot make 

 them grow. 



During the last six or seven years, I have taken 

 from the wild pasture land, partly covered with 

 bushes, such wild pear trees as had got up beyond 

 the reach of the cattle, and others that had been 

 freely browsed by the cattle, and from two to six 

 feet in height, and set tliem in my garden, cover- 

 ingjtwo-thirds of the ground, from eight to twelve 

 feet apart. TJiey have all been cultivated alike, 

 both those that came from Long Island and the 

 others. The M-ild trees were sometimes worked 

 the same year, in which they were transplanted, 

 and sometimes the next after transplanting. The 

 wild trcesusually liad a bulb, somewhat like that 

 on an onion stalk, on some one or more of the 

 minor roots. I have thus set out some thirty or 

 forty trees of the native crab pear. The wild 

 trees have grown flir beyond my expectations, 

 are now twelve and fifteen feet in height, and 

 ten or twelve have borne fruit, two or three for 

 several years, and I have refused ten and fifteen 

 dollars apiece for some of them ; while the nurs- 

 CTy trees from Long Island have not made a foot 

 of wood during the ten years, and have made 

 only abortive attempts at fruit bearing. My ex- 

 perience would seem to Avarrant me in giving the 

 preference to wild pear trees ever those of nursery 

 cultivation. I suppose some of these trees, before 

 they were taken from the wood, were twenty years 

 old. I have hitherto thought that pear trees could 

 not be cultivated too higldy ; but I now think 

 they can be in the nursery, but not after they are 

 permanently located; it is somewhat difi"erent 

 with apiile trees. All trees need cultivation ; 

 but I think apple trees may be forced beyond a 

 healthy and fruitful condition. 



I have noticed and spoken of a bulO upon the 



main root of the wild pear tree, which is as hard 

 and solid as any other part of the root. Has 

 this enlargement any thing to do with the health 

 and vigor of the tree, or not 1 It seems as though 

 it could not be accidental, as it has been observed 

 too frequently. The pear tree is long-lived and 

 a rapid grower, in its wild state, shoots starting 

 up from two to four feet in a season ; and may 

 not this enlargement be for the purpose of making 

 larger drafts from the soil for its nourishment, 

 or may it be a reservoir of moisture for the neces- 

 sities of the tree in a dry season. 



I have said that several of these trees have 

 borne fruit, such as the Bartlctt, Bilboa, Catalac, 

 Winter Nelis, &c. I want to say one word in 

 favor of the last, viz.. Winter Nelis ; I think it 

 one of the very best peai-s that grows. One of 

 my trees has borne this pear for three years, 

 between two and three dozen the first year, fewer 

 the second, and more the last. Tin's pear ripens 

 in December, and resembles in flavor the old St. 

 Michael, in its most perfect state, and is destitute 

 of the imperfection of the St. Michael. I want 

 every fruit-grower to cultivate this pear. I have 

 not had great experience, but I believe, and have 

 understood from others, that it is a great bearer. 



Thus, Mr. Brown, I have given you some ac- 

 count of my little experience in the cultivation 

 of pear trees, and I think that I have not quite 

 failed. M. 



Topsfield, Jan., 1855. 



For the New England Farmer. 



LUHAR INFLUENCES. 



Mr. Editor : — I have read with much interest 

 the suggestions of your correspondent from Bloom- 

 field, C. W., on Lunar Influences. Notwithstand- 

 ing the entire absurdity of the thing, there are 

 hundreds, aye, thousands, who have more or less 

 confidence in such proverbs or prejudices. And 

 is it strange they do, when in every community 

 we constantly see many led captive by phantasies 

 still more visionary 1 An instance of a remarka- 

 ble rebuke of one of these follies was brought to 

 mind by the j^erusal of your correspondent's com- 

 munication. At a meeting of the Board of Trus-. 

 tees of one the oldest societies of the commoc-. 

 wealth, one of the members, possessed of more 

 acres than ideas, was descanting with much elo- 

 quence upon the most proper time for euitinff 

 bushes, that they might not rise again, vyhen he 

 said it sliould bo done in the last quarter of the 

 moon, in the month of August, when the sign iij 

 the almanac was in the heart, and then done, the 

 bush would never sprout again. 'YM\^ ho laid 

 down with great empliasis, and averred that ho 

 had repeatedly tested the fact, by his own expe- 

 rience. An elderly gentleman, who was m the 

 chair at this meeting, said, "My friend, while I 

 have the honor to meet you at this Board, I l>e- 

 seech you never again bring in the influences of 

 the moon upon any of your experiments in cul- 

 ture. Let me tell you, she has no more to do 

 with them than the man in the moon.'''' Thus re- 

 buked, the wliole assembly stood aghast, and the 

 conceited egotist slirank back, and never spoke 

 again on tlie influence of the moon. j. w. p. 



Fchruary 5, 1855. 



