73 



REPLY OF THERON JOHNSON, OF NORTH ANDOVER. 



The different varieties of pears exhibited by me at the late 

 County Fair at Lawrence, and the kinds of tree on which they 

 were raised, were as follows : — Vicar of Winkfield, Sheldon, 

 Howell, Butfum, Lawrence, Swan's Orange (Onondaga), 

 Belle Lucrative, all from Standard trees, and Beurre d'Anjou, 

 Seckel, Glout Morceau, from Dwarfs, Louise Bonne de Jer- 

 sey, and I think the Seckel, were partly from Dwarf and 

 partly from Standard. 



jSoU — dark heavy soil, underdrained, sub-soil clayey, en- 

 riched last year a little, but not before for five or six years, 

 with barn-yard manure, about two shovelfuls to each tree, 

 last fall ; this spring it was spread over the orchard. 



Have not pruned except to cut away dead wood. Have 

 lost a number of trees by blight ; have tried no remedy. 



I think Standards the most profitable on our soil ; cannot 

 say why they are best, except that it is very difficult to make 

 Dwarfs grow here ; on lighter soils I think Dwarfs generally 

 do better. 



In picking and ripening pears, my usual rule is to let all 

 kinds hang till by lifting the pear it readily parts from the 

 tree. Vicars and late pears I let hang as long as safe. Dif- 

 ferent varieties vary in ripening from one to two weeks after 

 picking, some longer, Have not tried many ways of keep- 

 ing, but find thiit by placing them as soon as picked, on a 

 shelf in a cool cellar, they kept better than any other way 

 tried. 



Cannot recommend any varieties for profit, as have never 

 tried to sell any; but should say for early, Rostiezer and 

 Dearborn's Seedling ; second, Bartlett, Belle Lucrative, to be 

 followed by Sheldon, Howell, Seckel, Swan's Orange, Glout 

 Morceau, Vicar of Winkfield, and I believe the AVinter Nelis 

 is considered profitable with some, but I have not got that. 

 I mentioned the above because all are good eating pears, 

 most are good cooking, and with me arc all good bearers and 

 hardy. I believe some considered the Buffum a profitable 



