75 



care it may be kept into January. It should be grown on the 

 pear root, although it generally does well on the quince. 



The Winter Nclis is an irregular growing tree. It is very 

 productive. The fruit is small, russetty and veiy high flavor- 

 ed. It is the best winter pear. In shallow soils, and Avhen 

 not highly cultivated, the tree sometimes loses its leaves be- 

 fore the fruit matures. The fruit ripens in December. The 

 tree does equally well on the pear and quince. 



The Vicar of WinJcficJd is a very vigorous and productive 

 tree, and the fruit generally needs to be thinned. It ripens 

 in December and January. As an eating pear it has not the 

 reputation in this vicinity it has in the neighborhood of Bos- 

 ton. Yet here it is often a good eating pear. It is always a 

 good cooking pear. It is admirably adapted to the quince. 



The Easter Beurre ripens well only in favorable situations. 

 When well ripened it is one of the best eating pears, and can 

 be kept into April. The fruit is much improved by being 

 grown on the quince, to which the tree is admirably adapted. 



It will be noticed that some of the most popular varieties 

 are not included in the above list, but they are omitted for 

 what are deemed sufficient reasons. For example, the Flem- 

 ish Beauty and Duchesse d'Angouleme are not included. The 

 former, although an excellent pear, is liable to crack, and 

 when ripe, is in eating but a short time. The tree also fre- 

 quently loses its leaves before the fruit matures. For these 

 reasons the Louisa Bon d'Jersey and Urbaniste are preferred 

 to it. The Duchesse d'Angouleme is not a regular bearer, and 

 the fruit is not so good, nor will it keep so long in eating, as 

 the Beurre d'Anjou. Hence the latter pear is recommended 

 in preference to it. So of other popular and excellent varie- 

 ties not included in the above list, they may be in some re- 

 spects superior to those recommended, but it is believed none 

 combine so many excellencies for their respective seasons. 



GATHERING AND KEEPING FRUIT. 



Pears are often gathered too early. Most summer and 



