134 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



tain number of quarts, the calculation was made that an acre 

 would produce 300 bushels. 



Many individuals complain of the high price of pears. 

 ^1 per dozen being thought an exorbitant rate. But when 

 we reflect that these pears are only obtained for the v^ery 

 finest specimens, and that to raise them a greater part of the 

 crop must be picked from the tree, except a few dozen, the 

 surprise ceases ; for inferior specimens of the same sorts are 

 almost unsaleable at any price. The dultivation of fruit is 

 a profitable business, and will pay better than many other 

 crops. All who engage in it may be sure of a ready sale at 

 a fair price ; but those who indulge in the fancy that they 

 are to realize anything like the fortunes so repeatedly affirmed 

 by the hewspapers will be disappointed. 



The above was intended for our last number, but was 

 crowded out for want of space. Since it was written we 

 have seen some statements in reference to the profits of 

 fruit culture, made at the meeting of the Convention of 

 Western New York Fruit Growers, at Rochester, which beat 

 the stories in the New York Times "all hollow." We copy 

 only one of them, as follows : — 



" H. E. Hooker, of Brighton, remarked — In order to turn 

 the attention of the members present in a different channel. 

 I will read a few figures in regard to pears, as I suppose it to 

 be in order now to take up the second question, whether it is 

 advisable to plant pears on quince stocks. Now I suppose 

 there are none of us have had sufficient experience on this 

 point to be able to judge ; still I think we may arrive at 

 something like a conclusion when we throw all the little 

 experience we have had together and compare results and 

 consider causes. 1 am in favor of plenty of room and light 

 among trees. By planting 6S0 pear trees on an acre, the 

 hardy sorts will produce in the neighborhood of a bushel, 

 more or less. These ,$GSO bushels, at the price fine pears 

 conmiand in the autumn, $4 a bushel, gives us .^2.720 from 

 one acre of ground. This may seem an unreasonable pro- 

 duct ; but take one half that number of trees, and at two 

 dollars a bushel we then have the extraordinary sum of 



