THE GENESEE FARMER. 



283 



CONDUCTED BY JOSEPH FROST. 



THE SHELDON PEAR. 



This pear has been cultivated iu the vicinity of 

 Rochester a number of years. It has been sold under 

 different names, but was more widely disseminated as 

 the Osivego Beurrc, which is similar iu appearance, 

 in its wood and fruit, to the Sheldon. Both were 

 believed to have originated in the same locality, as 

 the scions were first brought from the East, and near 

 the city of Oswego. 



The mistake was soon corrected, however, as it was 

 found that one sort, the Oswego Beurre, grew finely 

 upon the Quince stock, while the Sheldon would not 

 succeed, and could only be made to grow upon the 

 Pear stock. This led to an examination; and it was 

 ascertained that there were two distmct kinds, and 



THE SHELDON PEAR. 



the quality of one far superior to that of the other — 

 the better one proving to be a new sort, and was 

 named the Sheldon, from the name of a farmer living 

 in the neighboring town of Penfield, who had grown 

 considerable of the fruit. AVe have eaten of the 

 fruit in its season the past four years, and think it to 

 be "best." Many who have seen it, and who are 

 well acquainted with the White Doyenne, Seckel, 

 Bartlett, and other fine kinds, prefer it to any of 

 these. Should it do as well in other locaUties as in 

 this, it is deserving of extensive cultivation. Being 

 an American seedling, it deserves to be commended 

 far more than many European kinds that come to us 

 with extravagant names and glowing descriptions. 



In the Horticulturist we fiiid the following good 

 description of the fruit : 



"Fruit — medium, or rather above medium size. 

 The engra\ing is from a specimen of the average size. 



"Form — generally roundish, but varying much; 

 sometimes quite round, others obovate or inclining to 

 oval ; some taper to a point at the stalk, and others 

 are as broad at the stalk as at the eye. 



"Stalk — short, sometimes set on the surface, but 

 generally sunk slightl}', as in the outline. 



" Calyx — medium size, in a smooth, round, rather 

 shallow basin. 



"Skin — smooth, usually of a greenish-russet; some 

 specimens are tinted with light-red on the sunny side, 

 some slightly bronzed, and others without any color. 



" Flesh — remarkably melting and juicy, sugary and 

 rich, with a sprightly and peculiar flavor, that is to- 

 tally distinct from all other pears we have tasted. It 

 is rather gritty at the core, and ripens and keeps re- 

 markably well in the house. 



" Tree — erect in its habit, and quite vigorous, with 

 light yellowish shoots and prominent buds, much like 

 the wood of the Ostvego Beurre. It is hardy and 

 a good bearer, but has not yet succeeded on the 

 Quince." 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Elliott's Fruit Book : or, the American Frnit-grower'9 

 Guide in Orcliard and Garden. By F. R. Elliott. 



This work of Mr. Elliott, of Cleveland, Ohio, has 

 been promised some time. It appears in the form of 

 a volume comprising more than 500 pages, nu- 

 merously embellished with wood cuts. It is pub- 

 lished in good form, by C. M. Saxton, New York. 



A new feature has been employed, by giving the 

 characteristic and distinguishing forms of the seeds 

 and seed vessels of the apple, pear, quince and 

 cherry. This appears to us valuable, and promises 

 to confer another method by which we may be able 

 to ascertain the names and correctness of varieties. 

 Fm'ther than this we cannot see that the least ad- 

 vancement has been made upon the works before 

 published. It was expected that he would pursue a 

 different course, and not follow in the well-explored 

 path of other authors, but make it one of character. 

 Being more of a Western man than any other author, 

 it was presumed he would present much from that 

 section, and give descriptions of the new Western 

 fruits, which are in such great abundance, and the 

 characteristics of the respective kinds, as well as the 

 peculiar treatment they deserve in different localities. 

 But we have nothing of the kmd, excepting com- 

 paratively a very few instances. 



Among Class 1, or hst of fruits for general culti- 

 vation, we find in apples 74 varieties, among which 

 are 10 Western sorts. Pears, 56 kinds for general 

 cultivation, only 4 of them produced at the West, 

 and those in the State of Ohio. Of cherries, in the 

 same class, there are 30 sorts, 19 of which are new 

 Western varieties, and all were produced in 1842, 

 except in one instance, and that was not desciibed 

 till 1849. These 19 new kinds did not originate at 

 various places throughout the West, but all in the 

 garden of Prof J. P. Kirtlaxd, an intimate friend of 

 Mr. Elliott. Among peaches, there does not appear 

 to be any in the class for general cultivation from the 

 West; the same with plums, apricots and uectariaea. 



