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of the rich fruit from the drooping limbs. This is real enjoy- 

 ment which can scarcely fail to exercise a beneficial influence 

 upon the health and habits of persons who devote their leisure 

 hours to this branch of industry. 



Mr. Isaac H. Kelly, of Haverhill, says that about ten years 

 ago, a lady neighbor of his was suffering from general debility, 

 and to all appearances on the point of death. He sent her 

 some ripe Beurre Clairgeau pears. They seemed to have a 

 wonderfully reviving effect on the debilitated lady, who con- 

 tinued to use them till she was finally restored to perfect 

 health. To Mr. Kelly belongs the credit of first fruiting the 

 Beurre Clairgeau pears in Haverhill. Our committee are of 

 opinion that all fruit growers should raise their trees from the 

 seed. They have come to this conclusion for various reasons. 

 First, as animals are improved by breeding from pure and 

 healthy stock, why not apply the same rule to the raising of 

 trees from pure and healthy seed ? Second, everyone who has 

 had any experience with trees sold by nursery agents can tell 

 the loss sustained from that source. Some of these trees we 

 have known to struggle for existence two or three years and 

 then die ; others not to live through the first season, and some 

 that did not put out at all. This, to say the least, must be ag- 

 gravating to the purchaser, who wastes his money and labor in 

 setting out worthless plants raised from worthless seed grown 

 on diseased trees. In western New York, where this whole- 

 sale business is generally done, there is seemingly but very lit- 

 tle regard paid to the future health, thrift and fruitfulness of 

 the plants. On the contrary, they raise from anything and ev- 

 erything that bears pears, and force the trees along, somewhat 

 after the manner that some manufacturers shove shoddy shoes 

 into the market, and that is the end of it with them. We have 

 every reason to believe that trees thus propagated from varie- 

 ties affected with disease, will, sooner or later, fall a prey to its 

 destruction. 



The chief object of raising trees from the seed is to obtain 



