2/i 



GENESEE EARMER. 



Jan. 



Gray Doyenne Pear. 



The accompanying outline of this fruit is from 

 one of the specimens acknowledged in our last 

 number, from Brockport. We consider it one 

 of the very finest of autumn pears, ripening at 

 the same time, and continuing longer in use than 

 the Yirgalieu or While Doycime. In its form it 

 is quite similar to this variety, as well as in its 

 texture and flavor, the great point of difference 

 being the color. 



The White Doyenne is of a golden yellow 

 when mature, while the Gray is a cinnamon rus- 

 set, like the Fulton. We have been furnished 

 with the following item of intelligence respect- 

 ing it by our friend Mr. Norton, of Brockport, 

 wliich is very satisfactory. - 



He says Mr. Thos. R. Roby (not "H. R." as 

 we had it erroneously last month,) "has three 

 trees of the 'Gray Doyenne' pear, which were pro- 

 cured sixteen years since, from the late Jesse 

 BuELL, Esq. When transplanted, the trees were 

 mere whips, five or six feet in length. They 

 have borne now eleven years, producing every 

 year large crops, as heavy as the branches could 

 sustain. For the first few years the fruit was 

 considered worthless or neaily so, from not ri- 

 pening, until one autumn, happening to be gath- 

 ered and })ut away in a chamber, it unexpected- 

 ly matured and proved excellent* Tlie trees 

 grow tall witli upright branches, and are now 

 vigorous, healthy and handsome." 



Since preparing the above notice we have re- 



* This shows how requisite it is to possess a iuiowledge 

 of the ripenins; habits of fruits — Pears in particular. 31a- 

 uy varieties of the finest quality in this case have been 

 thrown away, because they did not attain their maturity on 

 the tree. The Wliite Doyenne also ripens well in the 

 house. Our fruit sellers frequently keep them 3 months. — 

 Editob. 



ceived the London " Gardencfs Chronicle'''' and 

 find in it a notice ef this very Pear by (we sup- 

 pose from the initials) Mr. Thomson, the head 

 of the fruit department in the London Horticul- 

 ral Society's Garden, one of the best Pomolo- 

 gists in Europe, said to be. It will be seen he 

 suggests the name of Red instead of Gray. We 

 copy his notice and omit his outline, as it is sim- 

 ilar to our own. 



Synonymes. — Doyenne Gris, Doyenne Roux, St. Michel 

 Dore, Beurre Rouge (of some), Rothe Hcrbstbutterbirne, 

 Rotlie Dechantsbirne, Gray Doyenne, Gray Dean's Red 

 Rpurre (of some). 



Of the above names, the Red Doyenne is proposed as the 

 most appropriate. Although Duhamel designated it the 

 Doyenne Gris, yet experience has proved that such name is 

 not the most distinctive for the type of this Pear ; the White 

 Doyenne, or old White Beurre, may be as aptly so called 

 wlicn it assumes a somewhat russetted appearance, grown 

 as a standard. In fact, it has been obtained in various in- 

 stances with this name. But however much these two 

 Doyenne Pears may resemble each other when on the trees, 

 a decided dilTercnce ensues. Tiie \\'biie becomes paler and 

 paler as it approaches the period of being lit for use ; the 

 other, on the contrary, acquires a brighter red. The au- 

 thor of the '-Jardhi Fruitier" remarks that the epithet of 

 red is more proper than gray for the Pear in question, be- 

 cause at the period of maturity it is in reality red. 



The flesh is white, melting, buttery, and sugary, with a 

 rich cinnamon flavor. In perfection in Oclober anil Novem- 

 ber, succeeding the White Doyenne. Shoots vigorous, 

 bright chesnut, with a sprinkling of small pale-brown spots. 

 Leaves middle-sized, oval, slightly serrated ; petioles slen- 

 der. Flowers sma.l, opening rather early ; petals oval, 

 inclining toobovate ; stamens shorter than the styles. 



Tlie tree is a good bearer ; and the fruit generally ac- 

 quires a richer flavor than that of the White Doyenne ; 

 but like it is best from a standard. — R. T. 



Tlie Ice House. 



We extract the following excellent and sea- 

 sonable suggestions on Ice Houses from the De- 

 cember number of the "Horticulturtst." 



Ice is a cheap luxury in tliis country, and the 

 Ice House very justly begins to be reckoned one 

 of the necessary buildings on every complete 

 farming establishment. Indeed it is indispensa- 

 ble to the proper preservation of the products of 

 the Dairy and the Garden, as well as of meats, 

 pastry, &c. It would be a gain, to many a fam- 

 ily, in one year, of what one that would answer 

 every purpose would cost. We recommend the 

 matter, at once, to the attention of our readers. 



" To build an ice-house in sandy or gravelly soils, is one 

 of the easiest things in the world. The drainage there is 

 perfrict, the dry porous soil is of itself a sufficiently good 

 no7i'Cjndur:tor. All that it is necessary to do. is to dig a pit, 

 twelve feet square, and as many deep, line it with logs or 

 joists ficod with boards, cover it\\i'.ha simple roof on a 

 level witli the ground, and fill it with ice. tSueh ice-houses, 

 built wi'h trilling cost, and entirely answering the purpose 

 of afibrding ample supply for a large family, are common in 

 arious i)arls of the country. 



Rut it often happens that one's residence is upon a strong 

 loamy or clayey soil, based upon clay or slate, or, at least, 

 rocky in its substratum. Such a soil is retentive of mois- 

 ture, and even though it be well drained, the common ice- 

 house just described will not preserve ice half through the 

 summer in a locality of that kind. The clayey or rocky 

 soil is always damp — it is always an excellent conductor, 

 and the ice melts in it in spite of all the usual precautions. 



Something more than the common ice-house is therefore 

 needed in all such soils. " How shall it be built ?" is the 

 question which has frequently been put to us lately. 



To enable us to answer this question in the most salisfac- 



