394 Mr. Humrickhouse^ s Experiments 



Green Chissel grew — one blossomed from top to bottom, in 

 the nm'sery, the third spring and died the same season ; the 

 other died in transplanting. The two Seckel grew ; one I 

 have lost sight of; the other 1 gave to Mr. William K. John- 

 son of this place, who planted it in 1842 against the south 

 wall of his house, which is of brick, and trained it by the fan 

 method. The situation did not suit it. It blossomed every 

 year, but the heat from the wall always forced it into bloom 

 so early in the season as to be always killed by frosts. In 

 November last, Mr. Johnson removed it to the garden. In the 

 spring, it blossomed at the usual time, and has perfected two 

 pears this season. The fruits thus produced were more than 

 double the usual size of the Seckel, of a pale green color, hav- 

 ing the appearance of bemg covered with a faint whitish bloom, 

 and were perfectly melting, exceedingly sweet, juicy, and fine 

 grained, without any grittiness whatever. Their greatly in- 

 creased size and altered appearance, from what the Seckel 

 usually is, induced the Hon. James Mathews, who is an ama- 

 teur, and who saw the fruit while yet upon the tree, to doubt 

 their being that variety ; and it is proper to state, that the tree, 

 from which the scion was taken, was procured from a nurse- 

 ry at Wooster, and died before fruiting. Having seen, how- 

 ever, what Mr. Ernst has somewhere stated of the increased 

 size, &c., of the Seckel when grafted on the apple, I do not 

 doubt, in this instance, its being true to name. The tree at 

 Mr. Johnson's stands in a somewhat shaded situation, is 

 healthy, retains the fan shape given it by him, is a dwarf in 

 habit, being now about five feet high and as many wide, and 

 remains upon the apple root without having thrown out any 

 of its own. Of the other trees grafted at this time, some, the 

 second and third seasons of their growth, became so dwarfed 

 and stunted as finally to die. Four or five of the residue 

 were, in 1842, transferred to the orchard, and are still alive in 

 different states of thriftiness. I have not noticed that any of 

 them have made roots of their own, and think they have not. 

 The orchard to which they were taken is some miles from 

 town, and hence they have not received from me the atten- 

 tion they otherwise would. How they may eventually suc- 

 ceed remains to be seen. 



In 1840, 1 tried some scions sent me by Mr. William Kenrick. 



