30 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



a large, long stem, it was melting, juicy, sweet, a little musky, and not fine 

 grained; and Mr. Richardson, Richardson No. 1, and No. 2. No. I was 

 pyriform, yellow, melting, juicy, subacid. No. 2 was large, pyriform, yellow, 

 with a short stout stem, sweet, not juicy. 



Mr. Frances Dana further proved his remarkable success in originating 

 new varieties of pears from seed, by exhibiting two new seedlings, one named 

 George Augustus, and one unnamfed. George Augustus was of good size, 

 obovate form, with a long stout stem, rather rough, brown yellow skin, with 

 some red, its flesh was fine, not very juicy, little subacid, and well flavored ; 

 the other was obovate, of good size, yellow, with red in the sun, not very 

 juicy, of a pleasant subacid flavor. 



Mr. Frederick Tudor, in November, exhibited a seedling pear, of a rounded 

 obovate form, almost like an apple, with a short stem set in a very deep 

 cavity, that was melting, juicy, and nearly first rate quality ; it was worthy 

 of notice from its remarkable form, as well as for its good quality. Messrs. 

 Walker dz- Co. also exhibited specimens of their new pear. Mount Vernon ; 

 they were quite large, larger than has been before noticed, they were of a 

 peculiar spicy flavor. Some of these pears made a favorable impression, but 

 the Committee felt that the time had not arrived to form a definite opinion 

 respecting them. 



Although, as has been said above, attempts to raise fine new varieties of 

 pears from seed have their attractions, those who make them must remember 

 that, too, such are not without their drawbacks ; that in making them, success 

 is rather to be hoped for, than expected. True, such sometimes succeed, and 

 do not always fail; at least one instance could be mentioned, where from one 

 sowing of seeds, and that a not very large one either, several good, and one 

 fine variety was the result ; but this was a very remarkable instance of good 

 fortune; and to offset it, numerous cases of continued failure could be readily 

 named. One of the largest, perhaps the largest grower of pears, in Eng- 

 land, after attempts for many years in succession on a large scale to originate 

 a new, fine variety, stated that he had never succeeded in obtaining one 

 that he considered much if of any value ; and in one case, similar attempts in 

 France had been attended with somewhat similar results, although in this 

 last case not quite so unfortunate, for two varieties had been originated that 

 were considered worthy of being propagated and perpetuated. In endeavors 

 to originate fine new varieties of pears from seed, then, it may be said that 

 failure is the rule, and success the exception. Still this understanding should 

 not wholly discourage, for here, as in most cases, patience and perseverance 

 sometimes have their perfect work. 



To originate a good new variety, after having carefully watched the pro- 

 gress of the tree from the seed bed to its fruition, is to the grower doubtless a 

 gratification, and such will probably place a higher estimate on his gain than 

 others ; but even such should not yield so far to a very natural feeling as to 

 forget that the list of pears is already so long as to be burthensome, or that 



