Western Seedling Fruits. 137 



to calling every new variety a seedling," or to its real merits. 

 A mortifying instance of which occurred in the case of 

 " Gest's large free stone peach," which I bore no small part 

 in disseminating. My attention, with others, was called to 

 the original tree ; and certainly there could be but one opin- 

 ion as to its worthiness for extensive propagation. Buds 

 were afterwards cut by myself from what was pointed out 

 as the same tree, and put in stocks, and confidently sent out 

 as genuine. You will readily imagine my mortification to 

 find, on fruiting, a poor, harsh fruit, unfit for use. Those who 

 have had most experience in making collections of fruits, 

 will know best how to apologize for this blunder. I had 

 desired to state this error in your magazine, with a view to 

 prevent, so far as possible, a further spread of the mischief. 



The truly discouraging and mysterious operations of the 

 fire blight continues its desolating work on the pear tree. 

 It comes like the angel of death, when and where its attacks 

 are least expected. To my mind, the real cause exists still 

 in the lap of obscurity. Although much able matter has 

 been written, by scientific minds, their attention has not been 

 directed to the real disease, but mostly confined to the eflects 

 of winter freezing, or that of supposed poisonous insects. It 

 is not my design to take up the different theories and show 

 their inapplicability to the real disease, but simply to confine 

 myself to its operations with me. The disease is not new or 

 unknown in the West, but its ravages, till within the two 

 last years, have comparatively, in this region, been so limited 

 as to attract no serious alarm. It is, however, true, that in 

 parts of Indiana, especially in the neighborhood of Rich- 

 mond, an old Quaker settlement, its destruction was most 

 complete, entire orchards of pear trees having been cut off" 

 years ago; there also much difficulty is experienced from 

 winter freezing. Nurserymen not unfrequently sustain great 

 loss among their young pear trees from this cause, hence 

 their improper blending. 



My practical attention has been directed to the culture of 

 tl:e pear some seventeen or eighteen years. When I pur- 

 chased my present residence, the first thing was to make a 

 selection of pears ; my first plantation consisted of about 

 fifty trees, to which a constant yearly addition has been 



VOL. XII. NO. IV. 18 



