56 



don, Lawrence, Dana's Hovey, Onondaga and Clapp's Favor- 

 ite, recommended by our society for culture. Other varie- 

 ties of excellent quality, which have originated in this coun- 

 try, are not so Avell adapted to our soil and climate. 



One of the largest pear trees in this country, as reported 

 in Hovey's Magazine, is growing in Illinois, which, when not 

 more than forty years old, one foot above the ground its 

 trunk was ten feet in girth, and at nine feet from the ground, 

 six and a half feet in girth, its branches extending over .in 

 area sixty-nine feet in diameter. In 1834 it yielded one hun- 

 dred and eighty-four bushels of pears. The tree is stated as 

 enormously productive always, the fruit pretty large, of fair 

 flavor, and ripening in early autumn. 



Your Committee noticed, in the Exhibition Hall, that while 

 the fruit of some exhibitors Avas very line, the same varieties 

 by others, were greatl}^ inferior, and as each are likely to 

 show their best fruit, others in the county have, without 

 doubt, the same varieties entirely unfit for exhibition. 



To enable your Committee to ascertain the practical ex- 

 perience of the different fruit growers in raising their pears, 

 that the information might be reported to the Society, the 

 following questions Avere sent to each exhibitor, as, also, Avith 

 slight alteration, to members of the Committee and a few of 

 the other fruit growers who made no exhibit this year, of 

 their pears ; viz. : — -1. What different varieties of pears did 

 you exhibit at the County Fair at LaAvrenee ? Indicate on 

 what kind of tree raised, by marking S for Standard, and D 

 for Dwarf, over each variety. 2. What kind of soil? 3. 

 Sub-soil? 4. How often is soil enriched? 5. WhatAvith? 

 6. HoAV much do you prune, and when? 7. Have your trees 

 been troubled Avith the blight or insects? 8. If so Avhat 

 remedy have you tried ? With Avhat success ? 9. What are 

 the most profitable trees to set out. Standards or Dwarfs? 

 lO. Why? 11. When do you pick your difie rent varieties of 

 pears? 12. Hoav long afterwards are they ripe for eating? 

 X3. How do you keep them best and longest? 14. What 



