50 MASSACHUSETTS HOKTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



well cared for, ten years later. At that time, where trees were 

 planted twent\' bj' twenty-five feet apart, the branches were begin- 

 ning to meet, and the trees were still very thrifty. It is yet too 

 early to sa}- how long lived such trees will prove. 



Most American varieties of apple succeeded well in Yesso ; but 

 all are considerably later than here. Fall varieties keep into 

 Februar}- and our common winter sorts till August. Our very 

 best keepers, like the Roxbury Russet, are worthless there. They 

 do not become suflSciently mature to ripen, but, put into the 

 cellar, simply shrivel up and soon rot. The splendid Greenings 

 which I have eaten there in July would, however, surprise you. 

 The apple fruit is mostly free from insect enemies in Yesso, 

 though a species of curculio has in some places proved injurious, 

 and a small worm does occasional damage. The worms which 

 attack the leaves are, however, legion, and among them is our own 

 latest acquisition in that line, — the Gypsy Moth (Ocneria disjjar). 



You may be surprised to learn that our apples and pears both 

 having been introduced and having begun to bear at about the 

 same time, the Japanese almost to a man esteemed the apple the 

 more delicious. For many years the prices were, for apples ten 

 to twelve cents and for pears three to five cents per pound ; and 

 after the lapse of about ten years, in 1888, the prices were in 

 about the same proportion, viz. : — apples from six to eight cents 

 and pears from two to three cents per pouud. 



American pears succeed well in Yesso with the exception of the 

 late sorts, like the Vicar, which is worthless. All are later and 

 keep better than here ; I usualh- kept the Anjou without trouble 

 until well into March. For the pear the native Pyrus Toringo 

 already spoken of was commonly used as a stock ; the Japan 

 Quince {Pyrus Cydonia), is also somewhat employed. There is no 

 pear native to Yesso, but the earlier varieties of the pear com- 

 monly cultivated in Southern Japan {Pyrus comiyumis) are raised 

 to a limited extent. This is a fruit of magnificent appear- 

 ance, large, obtuse, russet in color. In texture it is hard or 

 breaking and coarse ; in flavor sweet and insipid. A friend of 

 mine said that once, in compan}-, he likened these pears to " tur- 

 nips in disguise ;" but the company unanimously disapproved the 

 comparison. Thej- thought it was unfair to the turnip. Still as 

 a Japanese friend of mine once expressed it, '' There is plenty of 

 teething in these pears ;" and this, doubtless is the great reason 



