History of the Endicott Pear Tree. 259 



an open field, without any protection until within the last 

 thirty-five years, during which time it has been protected by 

 a fence. It has been consequently often browsed by cattle 

 and injured by storms ; — but such has been its wonderful 

 tenacity of life, that within the last fifty years it has twice 

 arisen, phoBnix-like as it were, from its very ashes ; namely, 

 after the gales of 1804 and 1815 ; — after the latter gale it 

 bore no fruit for four or five years, in fact, not until it was 

 stimulated by a large quantity of maniure about its roots. 

 The tornado which swept over Danvers some ten years since, 

 did it irreparable injury ; twisting off several vigorous limbs, 

 and injuring others ; but its appearance and condition have 

 not very materially changed since 1837, and with the follow- 

 ing description of it, which we gave at that time, and which 

 will answer pretty nearly for the present, we shall close this 

 communication. By actual admeasurement it was then found 

 to be 18 feet high, and 55 feet in the circumference of its 

 branches. The trunk exhibited all the marks of extreme old 

 age, being entirely hollow and mostly open on the south side, 

 with just sufficient bark to convey sap to the bmnches. It 

 was 7 feet 4 inches in circumference near the roots, and was 

 divided, as described by Doct. Bentfey in 1796, into three 

 parts ; two of which were connected to the height of 18 

 inches, the other was entirely distinct from the ground up- 

 wards. There was bark only on the outside of these divis- 

 ions, until they reached the height of 7 or 8 feet, when they 

 were completely encircled with it and formed distinct limbs, 

 with numerous lateral branches. About thirty-five years 

 since, through the influence, probably, of the large quantity 

 of manure then applied to it, two suckers sprang up from the 

 roots, one on the northeast, and the other on the southwest 

 side. They are now 10 or 12 feet in length, and have been 

 in bearing several years, the fruit being precisely the same as 

 that of the original tree, which, of course, proves it to have 

 been a seedling. 



After what is written above, it would seem superfluous to 

 add that this tree is unquestionably the oldest living and fruit 

 bearing tree in this country, of which we have any account, 

 having rounded out, according to the authority stated, a 



