Notes and Gleaiihigs. 299 



Market Pears. — Tke Windsor or Summer Bell. — Specimens of this 

 old variety made their appearance in Boston market before the end of June. 

 They were brought from Norfolk, and were unripe and not even fully grown ; 

 and, though they would doubtless mellow, it is equally certain that they would 

 be of poorer quality than if allowed to attain full size, thougli this variety is 

 always so inferior, that it is impossible they could be much poorer. This 

 pear at best consists of cellular tissue with a little sugar and alum and water. 

 The flesh is white, soft, and coarse-grained, and rots at the core. If left to 

 ripen on the tree, it is sure to grow mealy. Probably t'.iere is not another pear 

 half so poor as tliis which is so generally cultivated. Now, why is this ? Sim- 

 ply because people can make money by growing it. In the first place, the tree 

 is one of the most vigorous and healthy, with strong, upright wood, and ample, 

 dark-green foliage. We have known large trees of this kind grafted with weaker- 

 growing varieties, which have gradually died away, and, years after, the origi- 

 nal stock has re-appeared in all its pristine vigor. Probably a nursery-man could 

 afford to sell a larger tree of tliis kind for the same money than of any other 

 variety ; yet we do not see how any nursery-man who was the least of a pomolo- 

 gist could sell a tree at all without a feeling as if he were half imposing on his 

 customer. When planted in the orchard, the tree continues to grow vigorously, 

 soon comes into bearing, and gives enormous crops of large, fair, yellow pears of 

 worthless quality, but whose size and earliness attract purchasers. 



There are many fruits, which, though not of the finest quality, are yet so near 

 it, and withal so large, hardy, and productive, that they are recommended by the 

 best pomolog'sts for general cultivation, especially for orchards. Now, we con- 

 sider this perfectly legitimate within certain limits ; but as remarked by Mr. 

 Wilder, in his address at St. Louis, "so long as we raise fruit to eat, the first 

 point in estimating the value of a fruit must be its quality for eating; and no 

 combination of other qualities, however desirable, can atone for any considerable 

 deficiency in this respect." Now, it is evident, that, with the yearly increase 

 of fruits which combine the highest quality with all other valuable points, the 

 deficiency of flavor which wo may allow to be balanced by other excellences 

 must lessen ; but as for the Windsor Pear, it never was good enough, with all 

 its size and hardiness and productiveness, to be recommended, and we confess 

 to a feeling of shame and disgust at our fellow-men when we see them buying 

 and eating such trash. 



But the question, How is this state of things to be remedied ? is much more 

 easily asked than answered. Just so long as there is a demand for such fruit, 

 there will certainly be a supply. Then how is the demand to be lessened ? It 

 must be a work of time ; but let every horticultural journal, and every horticul- 

 tural society, and every individual horticulturist, constantly make known that 

 such fruit is trash, and that there is better fruit, if not greater. This will do 

 something ; but let this stuff be superseded in the market by equally large and 

 handsome fruit of the highest quality, and buyers will soon find it out, and" then 

 orchardists may graft over their Windsor trees. Perhaps we shall be told that 

 there is no first-rate pear as large and early as the Windsor ; but then there is 

 a fortune in store for the man who raises one. Ten years ago, there was no 



