^0.4. 



Experiments with the Pear upon the Apple. 



113 



hus we may be stimulated to greater care than others, 

 nd hope tliat this extra care may be rewarded with 

 jperior success. — Do. 



In the spring of 1838, I commenced a se- 

 ies of trials of the pear upon the apple, in 

 he nursery, by the method of root-grafting, 

 thich were continued up to 1844. The 

 oots employed by me were of thrifty seed- 

 ings two years old ; and were from half an 

 ach to three-quarters of an inch, or perhaps 

 ne inch in diameter. They were pulled 

 p from the seedling bed shortly before they 

 vere wanted ; and at the time of grafting, 

 I'ere cut into suitable lengths of four 

 six inches, with more or less side and 

 ibrous roots as might happen. The scions 

 ;enerally contained three buds or eyes, and 

 light be two to four inches in length, de- 

 ending upon the distance asunder of the 

 uds or eyes. After the operation was per- 

 jrmed, and they were planted in the nur- 

 ery rows, the top of the stock would be 

 liree-quarters of an inch to one inch and a 

 alf below the surface. The soil in which 

 liey were set was a rich sandy loam. I am 

 hus particular, in order that the means may 

 e afforded, if desirable, of forming an esti- 

 mate of the probable influence the attendant 

 ircumstances may have had upon the re- 

 ults. 



The number grafted and set out, at the 

 rst trial in 1838, was eight grafts, about 

 ne half of which grew the first season, but 

 led the second and third. 



The number grafted and set out at the 

 econd trial in 1839, was seventy-six, of 

 ?hich nine were a seedling variety, twenty 

 *ound, one Catharine, seven Green Chissel, 

 wo Seckcl, three Easter Bergamot, eight 

 )oyenne Blanc, nine St. Germain. Of the 

 I'hole number, about one half grew the first 

 eason. The Doyenne Blanc and St. Ger- 

 main failed entirely. One graft of Easter 

 {ergamot grew, appeared thrifty, but died 

 udclenly the latter part of the second sum- 

 mer. Two of the Green Chissel grew — one 

 lossomed from top to bottom in the nursery 

 he third spring, and died the same season; 

 he other died in transplanting. The two 

 ?eckel grew; one I have lost sight of; the 

 thor I gave to Mr. William K. Johnson of 

 his place, who planted it in 1842 against 

 he south wall of his house, which is of 

 irick, and trained it by the fan method. 

 Phe situation did not suit it. It blossomed 

 ivery year, but the heat from the wall al- 

 ways forced it into bloom so early in the 

 eason as to be always killed by frosts. In 

 November last, Mr. Johnson removed it to 

 he garden. In the spring it blossomed at 

 he usual time, and has perfected two pears 

 his season. The fruits thus produced were 



more than double the usual size of the 

 Seckel, of a pale green colour, having the 

 appearance of being covered with a faint 

 whitish bloom, and were perfectly melting, 

 exceedingly sweet, juicy, and fine grained, 

 without any grittiness whatever. Their 

 greatly increased size and altered appear- 

 ance, from what the Seckel usually is, in- 

 duced the Hon. James Mathews, who is an 

 amateur, and who saw the fruit while yet 

 upon the tree, to doubt their being that va- 

 riety; and it is proper to state, that the tree 

 from which the scion was taken, was pro- 

 cured from a nursery at Wooster, and died 

 before fruiting. Having seen, however, 

 what Mr. Ernst has somewhere stated of 

 the increased size, &c., of the Seckel when 

 grafted on the apple, I do not doubt, in this 

 instance, its being true to name. The tree 

 at Mr. Johnson's stands in a somewhat 

 shaded situation, is healthy, retains the fan 

 shape given it by him, is a dwarf in habit, 

 being now about five feet high and as many 

 wide, and remains upon the apple root with- 

 out having thrown out any of its own. Of 

 the other trees grafted at this time, some, 

 the second and third seasons of their growth, 

 became so dwarfed and stunted as finally to 

 die. Four or five of the residue were, in 

 1842, transferred to the orchard, and are 

 still alive in different states of thriftiness. 

 1 have not noticed that any of them have 

 made roots of their own, and think they 

 have not. The orchard to which they were 

 taken is some miles from town, and hence 

 they have not received from me the attention 

 they otherwise would. How they may even- 

 tually succeed remains to be seen. 



In 1840, I tried some scions sent me by 

 Mr. Wjlliam Kenrick. The number set 

 was forty-eight, as follows: — five Beurre 

 d'Aremberg, four Williams's Bon Chretien, 

 six Pound, four Beurre Diel, four Capian- 

 mont of Boston, five Bczi Vaet, four Easter 

 Beurre, four Duchesse d'Angouleme, four 

 Napoleon, three Urbaniste, five Passe Col- 

 mar. Of these, Beurre d'Aremberg, Beurre 

 Diel, Duchesse d'Angouleme and Napoleon 

 failed entirely. Two of the Passe Colmar 

 grew, and after remaining stationary, or 

 nearly so, during their second and third sea- 

 sons, at length threw out roots of their own, 

 on which they have now become established, 

 the apple root having entirely rotted away 

 and disappeared from them. They are now 

 thrifty trees. One only of the Capiaumont 

 grew. It made about the usual growth the 

 first season, and afterwards remained sta- 

 tionary until tiie present season. It now 

 appears to be establishing itself upon its 

 own roots, and has this year thrown up a 

 thrifty shoot. One only of the Urbaniste 



