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CULTIVATION OF PEARS IN NORTHEKN INDIANA. 



ffliile Doyenne, Scckcl, Stevens' Genesee, and otheri 

 Who could compute the value of an hundred acres 

 of pear orchard, embracing a dozen or less varieties 

 of the first quality for market. 



We are not subject to pear blight, at least it does 

 not exist in the same form as in the Eastern States. 

 True, we occasionally lose a tree, but the cause, in 

 nine cases out of ten, arises from bad cultivation 

 or none at all. Standard trees seldom die when 

 proper judgment has been exercised in selecting soil, 

 exposure, etc., while dwarf trees are continually dy- 

 ing; and this to us is no wonder, when we know the 

 fact that they receive no mulching, no cutting back, 

 nor pinching, and in addition to this, are in many 

 cases trained up to a mere whip with a small tuft of 

 leaves at the top, as if to indicate that a tree instead 

 of a stick had been planted. We are sure that if 

 tho.M who plant a few dwarf pear trees, in some cor- 

 ner of the garden, and without any care or attention 

 expect them to thrive and bear fruit, would buy and 

 read the Fruit Garden, by Mr. Barry, and inform 

 themselves — learn the difference between a fence 

 post and a finely-constructed tree, and treat them as 

 they deserve and require to be treated, they would 

 at least be satisfied with a few dozen well-grown 

 dwarfs, and would conclude that their mode of cul- 

 ture was a "humbug," rather than the true one re- 

 ferred to. 



The varieties which have proved the best in nearly 

 every locahty north of the National road and run- 

 ning west to Illinois, are the Bartlett, White Doij- 

 enne, Flemish Beavty (these three were recommend- 

 ed as worthy of extensive cultivation by the N. W. 

 F. G. Association at Chicago, Oct., 18.53. Voted 

 very good, Louise Bonne de Jersey, Easter Beurre, 

 Passe Cohnar, Winter JVelis, Sheldon, recommend- 

 ed). All of the above give good satisfaction in this 

 State, as succee'ding remarkably well. 



Our pear growers need more experience in ripen- 

 ing this fruit, when, no doubt, many varieties will be- 

 come very generally admired that are now but little 

 thought of. Fairer specimens cannot be grown than 

 we have seen in La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, and 

 other counties in the northern part of the State, as 

 we have seen on exhibition at the several county 

 fairs, embracing all of the above varieties, also the 

 Seclcel, Tyson, Btijjftim, Belle Lucrative, Easter 

 Beurre, Beurre Did, Onondaga, Stevens' Genesee, 

 Diichesse iJhigouleme, Vicar of Jf'inkfield, Gray 

 Doyenne, etc. The Sheldon promises to be a pear 

 of which we may truly be prond. I have not Jearned 



of its having been fruited in but two localities, and 

 there it promises to be an acquisition to the pear 

 list. There exists very much confusion in our nom- 

 enclature, not only in pears, but apples, and all the 

 other fruits; but by the lively interest now manifest- 

 ed in our county and State Agricultural Societies, 

 these diSiculties will give way, as interest in horticul- 

 ture advances. 



We have reason to be encouraged; for, as a new 

 State, we have already made much progress in horti- 

 culture. The fertility of our soil, and its adaptation 

 to the growth, not only of grain or vegetables, but 

 also of fruits, as soon as well-gi-own, thrilty trees are 

 well set out, they seem to catch, at once, the motto 

 of the Hoosier, which is " Onward," and in a brief 

 space of time they are bending under a heavy bur- 

 then of fruit. 



To show the importance of horticulture in our 

 State, we take the following from the report of the 

 Auditor of State for the year 1854. We give the 

 figures of a few of the counties with which we are 

 best acquainted: 



Value of oroh.-ird productfl 



The amount fur La Porte county is not given, but 

 it doubtless exceeds any of the foregoing, except, 

 perhaps, Wayne county, which is the oldest and 

 raobt wealthy in the State (we mean the most wealthy 

 in an agricultural and horticultural point of view). 

 We doubt very much whether the above figures show 

 more than two-thirds the actual value of our orchard 

 products. As the total value of orchard products 

 in the StWe of Indiana is represented at only $770,- 

 580, while that of nine counties only amounts to 

 If 175,449, (several counties in said report are left 

 blank,) we presume the report only contains the 

 amounts realized from the sale of fruits either out of or 

 within this State; in this case a very small proportion, 

 if any, of the home consumption comes under this 

 head. This, for a new State, is doing remarkably 

 well, when it is known that the probable number of 

 fruit trees growing in orchards twenty years ago 

 would not exceed 15,000. 



It may not be uninteresting to your New York 

 readers to know that Indiana raised in 1853 (as per 

 Auditor's report from returns made by the several 

 township assessors, June 1, 1854,) 8,139,186 bushels 

 of wheat, valued at $5,926,895 ; and 47,263,960 



