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prosperously thrived, so much so, indeed, that we are informed 

 on good authority that we grow as fine specimens as are grown 

 in the artificial gardens of Paris. 



It is only a few years since the pear began to be regarded 

 with anything like favor by the people in general. At first, 

 owing to its scarcity, very many knew nothing about it, and 

 even in our day there are, I venture to say, living within five 

 hundred miles of Boston, thousands who never saw a pear. In 

 our own Essex county, where the pear is so well known and 

 seemingly extensively cultivated, there are not pears enough 

 raised to give four quarts to every family within its territory. 

 This ought to be encouraging to persons desiring to cultivate 

 the fruit for pecuniary profit, the more so as the demand there- 

 for is great. Those who consumed but one quart last year will 

 want at least two quarts this year. The taste will increase for 

 it from year to year, till it will find its way to the table of the 

 poor as well as to the table of the rich. 



The rapid increase of our population in every town and city 

 will create a still greater demand, hence, it may not be rash to 

 predict that the pear is destined to become widely known and 

 loved, and finally indispensable as an article of diet. Our 

 chairman once asked a friend of his, who had just bought a lot 

 and built a house on it, to set out some pear trees, grape vines, 

 etc. " Pears !" said he, " what do I want pears for?" He 

 told him that if he did not want to eat them himself, his chil- 

 dren assuredly would, and enjoy them, and would thereby be 

 prevented from hankering after those of others. He moreover 

 suggested that it would be for himself a strong preventive 

 against the dramshop to employ his leisure time improving and 

 nursing them. Ultimately, after four years persuasion, on con- 

 dition that he would warrant the trees to live, and plant them 

 himself, he yielded, and in the spring of 1872 he set out for 

 him the required number. About the middle of last August 

 he invited him to come and see his pear trees. He went. 

 They were loaded down with fine pears. " There," said he, 



one hundred dollars apiece would not buy these trees." His 



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