THE PEAR. 419 



After the blight, the other diseases which affect the pear tree 

 are of little moment. They are chiefly the same as those to 

 which the apple is liable, the same insects occasionally affecting 

 both trees, and we therefore refer our readers to the section on 

 the apple tree. 



There is, however, a slug worm, which occasionally does great 

 damage on the leaves of the pear tree, which it sometimes en- 

 tirely destroys. This slug is the Selandria cerasi of Harris. It 

 appears on the upper side of the leaves of the pear tree, from 

 the middle of June till the middle of July. It is nearly half an 

 inch long when fully grown, olive coloured, tapering from the 

 head to the tail, not much unlike in shape a miniature tadpole. 

 The best destnictive for this insect is Mr. Haggerston's mixture 

 of whale oil soap and water,* thoroughly showered or sprinkled 

 over the leaves. In the absence of this, we have found ashes 

 or quicklime, sifted or sprinkled over the leaves, early in the 

 morning, to have an excellent effect in ridding the trees of this 

 vigilant enemy. 



Varieties. The varieties of pear have so multiplied within 

 the last thirty years, that they may almost be considered end- 

 less. Of the new varieties, Belgium has produced the great- 

 est number of high quality ; England and France many of 

 excellence; and, lastly, quite a number of valuable sorts 

 have originated in this country, to which some additions are 

 made annually. The latter, as a matter of course, are 

 found even more generally adapted to our climate than any 

 foreign sorts. But we believe the climate of the middle 

 States is so nearly like that of Belgium, that the pear is 

 grown here as a standard to as great perfection as in any other 

 country. 



More than 700 kinds of pears, collected fi'om all parts of the 

 world, have been proved in the celebrated experimental garden 

 of the Horticultural Society of London. Only a small propor- 

 tion of these have been found of first rate quality, and a very 

 large number of them are 3f little or no value. The great diffi- 

 culty, even yet, seems to be, to decide which are the really 

 valuable sorts, worth universal cultivation. We shall not, per- 

 haps, arrive at this point, in this country, for several years — not 

 until all the most deserving sorts have had repeated trials — and 

 the difficulty is always increased by the fact of the difference of 

 climate and soil. A variety may be of second quality in New- 

 England, and of the first merit in Pennsylvania or Ohio. This, 

 however, is true only to a very limited extent, as the fact that 

 most sorts of the first character receive nearly the same praise 

 in Belgium, England, and all parts of this country, clearly 

 proves. High flavour, handsome appearance, productiveness, 



* See page 54. 



