STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. gl 



mire should be such as to give a constant growth. Apply potash in 

 the form of wood ashes, phosphate of lime in bone manure ; use 

 lime, stable manure, salt, plaster, etc. 



Blight has been the bane of the pear grower in other States, but 

 up to the present but little trouble from it has been experienced in 

 this State. Insects are not very numerous on the pear. For slugs, 

 throw slaked lime among the leaves and branches when the dew is 

 on. As a rule the winter pears are best when allowed to remain on 

 the tree as long as the season will permit, but some of the summer 

 and autumn varieties, if allowed to remain on the tree until fully 

 ripe, will become dry and insipid. 



Pears when gathered should be packed in barrels or boxes, for, 

 like the russet apple, they will wither if exposed too long in the 

 open air. As a general thing, it costs more to raise pears than 

 apples, yet they are so desirable that ever}- fruit grower should culti- 

 vate them, and carefully select the best and most hardy. 



EARLY GEAPES FOR THE NORTH. 

 By H. A. Robinson, of Foxcroft. 



Every j-ear the possibility of growing and ripening grapes still a 

 little farther north, is increased by the production and dissemination 

 of new varieties which ripen extremely early ; a great advance 

 having been made in that direction in the last few years. 



Here, at Foxcroft, latitude 45° 15', we are beyond the northern 

 limit of the ripening of the Concord and such other varieties as 

 ripen with it. The Delaware, being a sweet grape, will, in favorable 

 seasons and in good locations, get to be quite good eating. 



But we now have a long list of varieties earlier than the Concord. 

 Of the more than fort}- varieties which I have now growing, and -to 

 which I am adding every year from all over the countr}', those kinds 

 which have the recommendation of extreme earliness, I will mention 

 a few, first earl}-, and of good quality. The Lady grape, originated 

 by Mr. Geo. W. Campbell of Delaware, Ohio, is a seedling of the 

 Concord, first earl}', greenish white, sweet and good. Moore's 

 Early, another Concord seedling, originated by Capt. John B. 

 Moore of Concord, Mass., is very earl}-. Berr}' large, black, good 

 quality. These I have fruited and can recommend. 



There is a new ver}' early black grape, the Early Victor, originated 

 by Mr. John Burr of Leavenworth, Kan., which has not yet fruited 

 6 



