The Second Co7igress of Fruit Growers. 299 



was a beautiful one. Why not liave such a variety on the 

 list? 



Mr. Hovey said the BufFum was a very good pear, though 

 not of the best description. But suppose that a person could 

 have but two trees, though there were many better varieties 

 which he would like to cultivate, would he not, on the whole, 

 prefer a tree from which he could obtain four or six bushels 

 of good pears, to one from which he could get only one and 

 a half or two bushels ? And having but two trees, would he 

 not desire that one of them at least should be a large bearer ? 

 Of what use to a grower of fruit for the market, would be 

 a variety of greater excellence in itself, but of vastly greater 

 inferiority in point of bearing ? And even gentlemen, who 

 could afford to suit their fancy, did not want poor looking 

 specimens in their grounds, and must therefore set some 

 value upon the BufFum in consequence of the beauty of the 

 tree. 



Mr. Buist said that if this pear should pass muster as being 

 first rate for its bearing qualities, still he could not recom- 

 mend it as such to his friends. 



Mr. Miller, of Carlisle, Pa., said that some thought the 

 rating of a variety depended upon the foliage, others upon 

 the beauty of the tree, and others again upon the quality of 

 the fruit. But surely the list was large enough to combine 

 all these requisites. 



Mr. Hancock commented upon the statement that the Buf- 

 fum was a good fruit for the market. But was he to go to 

 the market to be imposed upon ? If the fruit was good he 

 cared nothing for the shape of the tree or what its appearance 

 might be for a pleasure ground ; but if he had the finest 

 looking tree in the world, if the fruit was good for nothing, 

 he would throw it under his feet. He would not be one to 

 advocate a fruit of inferior quality under the excuse that he 

 had some trees to sell. He was a fruit raiser, but his friends 

 should never rise up against him charging him with having 

 imposed on their ignorance. 



Mr. Downing wished to correct the impression which the 

 gentleman appeared to entertain. If any fruit was not worthy 



