470 Horticulture in the Old Colony. 



being filled with thrifty specimens of old trees, among them a 

 variety which Mr. Davis calls the Holmes apple, a great 

 bearer, and an excellent variety, which originated in this coun- 

 ty. The apple trees in Plymouth, and also further south, 

 have been greatly injured by the green fly, which appeared 

 in such quantities, that the entire crop was, in many places, 

 destroyed, as well as the growth of the trees for the year : on 

 some of the trees in Mr. Davis's orchard, there were great 

 quantities of fruit not larger than a crab apple. Mr. Davis 

 stated to us, that the insects were so numerous that ordinary 

 modes of destroying them seemed to be of no use : we apprehend, 

 however, that if, on a still, cloudy evening, large quantities of 

 tobacco had been burnt underneath each tree, their ravages, 

 if not wholly prevented, would have been greatly lessened. 



In the garden, we found several pear trees full of fruit; Mr. 

 Davis also pointed out to us one tree, the pears of which had 

 been gathered, which was purchased at auction in Boston, five 

 or six years ago, and which produced several remarkably 

 large and fine pears, nearly the size of the Duchesse d'An- 

 gouleme ; this, Mr, Davis stated he had been unable to find a 

 name for, as the variety appeared to be quite unknown. Upon 

 inquiry, however, and an examination of the wood and habit 

 of the tree, we are satisfied it is the Doyenne Boussock of 

 the French gardens, a variety we had in fruit this season, and 

 a drawing and description of which will soon appear in our 

 pages : it is a large, handsome, and most excellent pear. It is 

 somewhat singular that specimens of this variety have been 

 brought to Boston from Plymouth County and Rhode Island, 

 produced from trees which had been purchased at auction in 

 Boston, and yet that it should not have been produced in any of 

 the gardens of cultivators in the vicinity, who have been annual- 

 ly receiving trees from France, with two exceptions, and that am- 

 ateurs should not have been able to recognize the variety. The 

 Doyenne Sieulle here, as well as at Mr. Fowler's, was full of 

 handsome fruit. The Beurre Diel and Beurre Incomparable, 

 Mr. Davis thinks, are different kinds ; one tree being exceed- 

 ingly full, of only moderate size, and very much russeted ; the 

 other bearing but a few pears, very large, and nearly green ; 

 this, however, may be attributed to numerous causes ; we 

 have had trees which were identically the same. 



