40 Notes and Gleanings. 



they will escape disease, and yield remunerative crops of excellent quality. They 

 will doubtless degenerate in the course of time, and an occasional reproduction 

 from seed of a healthy parentage will be necessary. The degeneracy may be 

 retarded, if not prevented, by a judicious selection of soil, and a cultivation in 

 accordance with the principles of vegetable pathology. Alex. Hyde. 



Keeping Pears. * Ediio?-s yoin-nal of Ho7-ticnlt7cre, — All pear-growers 

 are deeply interested in the success of the best methods of keeping that most 

 noble fruit beyond its season. I think I but express the interest which many 

 feel in asking for the experience or knowledge of any parties familiar with Prof. 

 Nyce's system as applied to pears. 



My own limited observation in the matter is exceedingly encouraging. My 

 impression is that the flavor is not in the least impaired by keeping in that 

 method. It is quite true, that many pears come out of the keeping-house with 

 very little flavor ; but they doubtless went in with the same lack. I have tested 

 in a small way the Bartlett, Howell, Belle Lucrative, and Sheldon, with satisfac- 

 tory results ; and have to-day shown, in our South-Pass Horticultural Society, 

 Beurre d'Anjou and Lawrence, both autumn pears here, in a condition of perfect 

 preservation, although taken from the Chicago keeping-house three weeks since, 

 and with flavor equal to the best in their natural season. There seems to be 

 little doubt that pears, as other fruits, will keep as long after removal from these 

 houses, as they would, under the same conditions, in their season. An in- 

 teresting instance of their good keeping is given by President Wilder, who last 

 summer carried a package of several autumn varieties to Europe. They kept 

 perfectly well, and were eaten with surprise and gratification at the table of one 

 of the leading pomologists of England. This surely is keeping well enough, 

 and carrying far enough, to suit the views of the most practical marketer. 



The extension of the season of our autumn varieties of pear into the winter 

 and spring, and so filling the whole circle of the year with the most delightful 

 of fruits, is surely a great and beneficent end to attain. Let us develop all 

 the facts bearing upon so important a matter. P. E. 



South Pass, III., Feb. 8, 1868. 



[We hope to be able, ere long, to give a full account of the operation of one of 

 Prof. Nyce's fruit-houses, from which we have received very fine fruit that had 

 been kept in excellent condition for several months past its usual season. — Ed.] 



Early Vegetables. Editors Journal of Horticulture, — As you invite 

 communications from all those interested in horticulture, I thought I would 

 give some items of my experience with vegetables. And, first, a few words on 

 early potatoes. Three years ago, I procured four pounds of the Early Stevens 

 Potato. They were planted on the 7th of April : we began eating them on the 

 4th of July; and, though not fully ripe, they proved to be an excellent potato; 

 fine flavor, dry and mealy, rich creamy-white ; in short, all that you could ask 

 of a potato, being just as good the following spring as on the day they were dug. 

 Yield from the four pounds, one and three-fourths bushels. 



The following year, I bought four pounds of the Early Goodrich. They 



