DEVELOPMENT OF HARDY FRUITS 51 



Hardy Pears. 



The pear is a fruit of which there is still an opportunity of devel- 

 oping varieties for special conditions. At Ottawa the only ones 

 which have proved hardy and blight resistant are Russian sorts, 

 such as Kurskaya and Zucherbirn, but they are so inferior in quality 

 that they cannot be regarded as of much value in themselves, but 

 these have been crossed with some of the best sorts of pears in 

 the hope of obtaining good, hardy, blight resistant varieties. The 

 trees are young yet, but something good is hoped for. New York 

 State is also experimenting to procure blight resistant varieties, 

 but the State of Oregon has, no doubt, the largest experiment 

 under way. There they have got together a very large collection 

 of varieties of pears and by inoculation with the germs of fire 

 blight have found a few that are immune. It is hoped that in 

 crosses of these and the best pears will be obtained varieties espe- 

 cially suited to those districts where fire blight causes much loss. 



Hardy Cherries. 



In Oregon, also, attention is being paid to the breeding of cherries, 

 especially suited to ^Yestern conditions. The Bing, a sweet cherry 

 which originated there some time ago, is one of the most profitable 

 cherries for that part of America. At Ottawa seedlings have been 

 grown of hardy Russian Varieties, but none have proved sufficiently 

 hardy in flower bud as even the hardiest of the Russian cherries' 

 only bear a crop occasionally, though the trees are quite hardy. 

 Some species, however, may be discovered which is extremely 

 hardy in flower bud which on being crossed with these Russian 

 sorts will give something of value. A hardy bush cherry procured 

 from the Arnold x\rboretum some years ago, Prunus tomentosa, 

 a native of North-eastern Asia is being used as a basis for new 

 cherries at Ottawa, but has not been successfully crossed with the 

 sour cherry. 



