79 



Bonne de Jersey, Kingscssing, Sheldon, Beurre Clairgeau, 

 Diichessc d'Augouleme, Urbauistc. Because they arc all 

 good quality, steady bearers, and bring a high price. 



Respectfully yours, 



WiLLIAJI H. HUSE. 



Newburyport, Nov. 13, 1878. 



REPLY OF JOHN PRESTON, OF GEORGETOWN. 



I exhibited at the County Fair, at Lawrence, the following 

 varieties of pears : — Beurre d'Anjou, Onondaga, and a variety 

 without luime, all grown on Dwarf trees. 



My soil is a very dark rich loam a foot or more in depth, 

 with sub-soil of a yellowish rich loam a foot or more in depth, 

 resting on a stratum of extremel}'' fine white sand, or sand 

 and clay intermixed, the sand very largely predominating. 

 This stratum of sand is so compact as to form a hard pan. 



I enrich the soil around my trees yearly, usually in the 

 spring of the year, with "Stockbridge's Fertilizer for Fruit 

 Trees," and "Bradley's Superphosphate of Lime." I prune 

 only enough to give the trees perfect form. I usually cut 

 back the leaders about the last part of August, or late 

 enough in the season to prevent a succulent growth. By this 

 method of pruning, the sap is impeded in its circulation, and 

 the result is a larger growth of fruit spurs and buds. 



My trees have been troubled with the blight and insects, 

 to some extent. If some part of the tree is diseased, I im- 

 mediately remove that part from the tree ; if the tree is dis- 

 eased generally, I immediately cut it down and commit it to 

 the flames. 



Some three or four year since my pear trees were infested 

 with pear slugs, but by several applications of air slacked 

 lime to the foliaofe of the trees, when moist with dew or rain, 

 destroyed most of them. No other insect has done me much 

 damage. 



For the most profitable trees to set out, should say Stand- 

 ards ou most soils, and Dwarfs on some soils, because Stand- 



