The Shcnks Pear. 499 



sent a note to Mr. Manning, requesting him to furnish us with 

 all the particulars connected with the introduction of the pear 

 into his father's collection. This he replied to, and enclosed 

 us two letters from J. B. Garber, of Columbia, Pa., extracts 

 of which we annex : — 



R. Manning, Esq,. Dear Sir, — I perceive by the N. E. 

 Far?ner, that among other varieties of fruit, you name a pear 

 from Pennsylvania. This is printed Sheuk's pear, which I 

 suppose must be wrong, and believe it to be the justly cele- 

 brated Shenks pear, which was originated in this neighbor- 

 hood, by an old German, of the name of Shenks. He planted 

 three seeds found in one pit or cell of a pear, perhaps forty or 

 fifty years ago, and all these produced trees, bearing good 

 fruit. One of the trees was planted against the side of a 

 smokehouse, and from that circumstance is generally known 

 as Shenk's Smokehouse pear. The fruit is similar in quality 

 to the Old Butter pear, (St. Michael,) but larger, melting, and 

 very fine. The tree grows large ; ripe the last of Aug. I be- 

 lieve it will prove superior to many of the celebrated foreign 

 pears. If this is the pear you desire, I shall be much pleased 

 to be the means of disseminating so valuable a fruit. By 

 giving me instructions how to forward them, I will cheer- 

 fully send you any quantity of the grafts. Yours, respect- 

 fully, J. B. Garber, Columbia, Pa., May 1, 1840. 



In a subsequent letter, dated July 24, 1840, Mr. Garber 

 writes that he had, in accordance with Mr. Manning's wishes, 

 " sent him buds of several kinds of fruit, and among them the 

 Shenks pear, all from bearing trees." Such is Mr. Garber's 

 history of the Shenks pear he sent to Mr. Manning, in 1840. 



We now present a copy of Messrs. Thorp, Smith, Hanchett 

 <fc Go's, letter to us, giving their history of Shenk's August 

 pear : — 



Mr. Hovey. Dear Sir, — Your favor, requesting history, 

 &c., of the Hosen Shenk pear, is received. The writer (Mr. 

 Fahnestock) gladly and willingly complies with your request. 



The Hosen Shenk pear is known by many names in Penn- 



