No. 4.] SOIL VARIATION. 29 



to get rid of tlicni, but that has nothing to do with the adapta- 

 bility. 



Mr. Geokgk a. L)i;kw. I would like to ask about pear 

 soil, as I think pears can be grown in Massachusetts to a 

 profit more than they are at present. There is an impression 

 that certain sections around Boston and Worcester are better 

 adapted to this fnnt than are others. 



Mr. Wilder. I cannot answer the question as fully as I 

 might wish. I have had very little opportunity to investigate 

 l)ears here this summer, and there are very few orchards to be 

 found that have had reasonably good care, so that it is diffi- 

 cult to take observations. I believe that a pretty fairly rich, 

 fine, sandy loam, say a rich Baldwin soil, is the best for the 

 Bartlett. That is not in accordance with common belief, as 

 we are apt to say ofthand that pears want a heavy soil, and I 

 think that many varieties do want such soils. The Kieffer 

 which is coarse grained and varies all the way from a miser- 

 able thing that no one would want to eat to a fairly good pear, 

 will not stand a sandy soil, because that does not maintain 

 a sufficient moisture supply during the season to produce 

 a uniform growth. The Kiefi:"er is a splendid canning pear 

 and a very fine looking pear, and very prolific, so that a 

 study should be made of soils as regards quality for this 

 variety. I wish it might be possible to spend a good deal of 

 time in the pear districts. Recently there have been very 

 few pear orchards planted in the eastern States, except in 

 western ]N"ew York, and the old orchards have been going out 

 pretty rapidly, as they have received very little care. 



Mr. Reed. How do you account for the poor keeping 

 quality of pears and Baldwin ajiples as compared with twenty 

 year ago ? We used to have Baldwins in April and May, 

 and last year I couldn't get a Baldwin from my own place 

 later than February. 



Mr. W. C. Jewett. Wc had Baldwin apples in our cellars 

 as late as the first of June this summer. 



Professor Brooks. I think we are apt to generalize too 

 broadly from particular instances. I should not expect Bald- 

 Avins to keep very well after our abnormally hot summer of 



