PEARS. 187 



knife. The pear tree is liable to be much injured, if 

 pruned by those who do not understand the nature of it. 

 The blossoms are commonly produced from buds at the 

 extremity of the last year's shoots; and, as these are often 

 cut oif by the unskillful pruner, it prevents their pro- 

 ducing fruit, and causes the boughs to send out new 

 branches, which encumber the tree with too much wood. 

 The vSummer is the best time to look over pear trees, and. 

 to remove all superfluous and interfering shoots, which 

 would too much shade the fruit, although in this climate 

 they will stand more shade than in the north of Europe. 

 If this be carefully done, they vriil require but little 

 pruning in the Fall. — The original venerable Seckel pear 

 tree stands in a meadow in Passyank township, less than 

 a quarter of a mile from the Delaware River, opposite to 

 League Island, not more than half a mile from the mouth 

 of the Schuylkill, and about three and a half miles from 

 the city of Philadelphia. It measures six feet in circum- 

 ference one foot above the ground, and four feet nine 

 inches higher up. It is about thirty feet high. It has its 

 usual roundness. It is now in a great state of decay. 



Seigneur d'Esperin. Color, lemon yellow ; size, 2 ; 

 use, table; texture, juicy, sweet, pleasant; quality, 1 to 2; 

 season, August or September. 



Remarks. — A new, beautiful, and very superior fruit. 

 Tree, a health}-, upright grower. 



Sinclair's Seedling. 



Remarks. — A small, but excellent fruit, from Balti- 

 more, Maryland ; only rather liable to crack, as is com- 

 plained of by some in particular situations, in the White 

 Doyenne and a few others; — unsuitable soil and aspect 

 probably the chief causes. Time and more experience 

 will improve these things, by closer attention. 



