IIQ STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



had the blight and were decayed. I have seen Wight in this 

 county once in a while. Lime seems to do good. I cut the wood 

 off as soon as it begins to decay, and save my trees. 



I have had some little experience in regard to location and pro- 

 tection. I believe that direct protection by a wall, building or 

 anything else, from the northwest winds, is a great injury to the 

 pear tree. I have noticed that trees do better in elevated posi- 

 tions than on lower land. I don't say that where the trees are 

 exposed to the north and west winds the fruit won't blow off, for 

 I know it will ; but the tree itself will succeed better when these 

 winds have free course through the limbs than in a sheltered 

 position. 



Mr. Smith. I agree generally with the remarks that have been 

 made. I think protection in this country, other than against the 

 winds blowing off the fruit, is an evil. I know it by experience 

 and observation. I don't know but that in too quick freezing 

 there ma}'^ be danger, but I think that generally it is taking the 

 frost out so quickly by the rays of the sun that kills. This winter 

 is a better one than that of a year ago. The frost has been grad- 

 ually taken out by the rain, and I think not much damage has 

 been done ; but I notice that when the frost comes out quick in 

 March, or at any time, that is the time for winter-killing. Bring 

 a bundle of frozen scions to the fire, and let the heat come directly 

 to them, and it will kill every one, but take it into a room where 

 the temperature is a little higher than freezing, and take frost out 

 gradually, and it won't hurt them. I think winter-killing is done 

 by the sun, and that pear blight is a partial winter-killing. You 

 will see that the ends of the limbs look as if they were partially 

 winter-killed. As to the State of Maine, we can raise pears here, 

 if we get those that arc suitable to the soil, as well as they can in 

 Massachusetts. I saw in Massachusetts last fall the same trouble 

 that we have. Some trees were starved as you will see them 

 here ; some were bearing well as you will see them here, and 

 some — the Flemish Beauties — were cracked as you see them here. 

 They raise a great many pears there, and send large quantities of 

 them here. We might as well raise them ourselves. My experi- 

 ence in Monmouth is, that I can raise pears as easily as apples. 

 I planted some pear trees eleven years ago, which produced a 

 good crop of fruit last year ; while the apple trees put out at the 

 same time have grown well but have fruited but little. [Mr. 

 Smith exhibited fine specimens of Glout Morceau and Vicar of 



