80 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



peaches on wood which was made the year before, 

 and pears on wood which is two years old or 

 more. Tlie pear is naturally a slow grower and 

 of great longevity, and it therefore has less re- 

 dundant branches than most other fruit trees. 

 But under the strong stimulus of modern culti- 

 A'ation, much care should be taken that they be 

 properly headed in. This should be done early 

 in August, both to keep them in a more symmet- 

 rical shape, and to make them put forth fruit buds 

 for the next year. 



Many cultivators do not thin out their fruit suf- 

 ficiently. But few trees can bear very large quan- 

 tities of first rate fruit, and none but fruit of the 

 very best quality can bring remunerative prices in 

 an overstocked market, or are wanted on our own 

 tables. The very powerful stimulants which are 

 now injudiciously applied to force pear trees into 

 early and prolific bearing, tend to an excessive in- 

 crease both of wood and of fruit. This excessive 

 growth must be met by a considerable reduction 

 of the wood and fruit, or the fruit Mill be small 

 and of indifferent quality, and the tree itself of 

 short duration. This forcing ])rocess is extremely 

 injurious. If trees are heavily laden with fruit, 

 and the fruit is not very considerably thinned out, 

 the proprietor will find himself disappointed when 

 it is brought to his table or carried to market, and 

 still further disappointed in the barrenness of his 

 trees for two or three subsequent years. It re- 

 quires a very hard heart to reduce overbearing 

 trees sufficiently, but it must be done if we would 

 secure the best fruit, and this is one of the very 

 few cases where a hard heart is at all useful. 



HARVESTING PEARS. 

 It is said to require more skill to keep money 

 than to make it, and it requires quite as much to 

 harvest and ripen pears properly as to 7-aise them. 

 Some kinds ripen best on the tree and others in 

 the house. Some ripen best in a dark, cool room, 

 and others in close boxes. Some ripen best 

 spread out on shelves, and others wrapped in 

 paper or cotton wadding. Those gentlemen who 

 are so unfortunate as to have those kinds which 

 require to be ripened in cotton wadding, will see 

 a reason, not very often urged in the newspapers, 

 for the speedy overthrow of the rebellion, that 

 cotton may be more easily obtained. Some vari- 

 eties, like the D'Aremberg, will ripen well with 

 no other care than placing them in barrels in the 

 cellar, as we do apples. But most of the finer 

 winter dessert pears should be brought into a 

 roon> where the temperature is oO or 70 degrees, 

 some two weeks before they arrive at maturity, 

 and should be kept covered, or they will shrivel 

 and become worthless. 



MORE WINTER PEARS DESIRABLE. 

 First rate winter pears are but few in number, 

 and it is a great desideratum to obtain more of 

 them, so that we may have them on our tables or 

 for the market through the winter and spring, and 

 if possible till the next crop makes its appearance. 

 Such pears in the spring would command almost 

 fabulous prices, and would amply reward the 

 extra care and pains necessary to pre])are them 

 for market. Indeed, so fastidious is the public 

 taste, that no fruits will reward the labors of the 

 cultivator, unless they are of the veri/ first qual- 

 ity, and tliis demand for fruits and vegetables of 



the very highest order of excellence will doubtless 

 increase, as the country advances in wealth, and 

 in the means of luxurious living. Pear raising, 

 and all other kinds of farming, in order to be 

 successful, must be conducted more and more 

 upon scientific principles. We are yet quite in 

 our infancy in these matters, but this Association, 

 and others of a kindred character, if properly 

 conducted, will do much towards supplying us 

 with the requisite information. 



But I am well aware that much that I have 

 said is quite superfluous, as many of the members 

 of this Association, if not all, are much better 

 informed on this subject than myself. They maj', 

 perhaps, make the same objection to the views I 

 have advanced, Avhich the Irishman made to the 

 moon : — " Be jabers," said he, " the moon don't 

 amount to much, for it won't shine except on light 

 nights, and then it ain't needed." 



For the N'ew England Farmer, 

 A HAPPY NEW YEAB. 



A few thoughts in reference to the coming year -^ 

 suggested by the usual compliment of the season, 

 " a happy new year," may possibly be of some 

 service, as hints to some one to start on the look- 

 out for a happy new year — happy in its results to 

 them and theirs, eventuating in happiness to oth- 

 ers within the circle of their influence or their 

 beneficence, or both. 



My first thought is, that, in order to have a 

 happy new year, I must commence with myself, 

 recognizing the fact that a man's happiness con- 

 sists not so much in the abundance of the things 

 he possesseth as in the spirit and temper of mind 

 he hidulges. 



I must not be a churl, a fretful, self-willed man ; 

 I must not enter my house with a dark and 

 clouded countenance ; I must not feel, nor act, as 

 if every ftne and everything around must be sub- 

 ject to my caj)rice, or whim, or notions of right. 

 In all of these several particulars, I must be just 

 the opposite, so far as it is possible for humanity 

 to be. I must be kindly aflectioned, patient, for- 

 giving, cheerful, and self-sacrificing. Without 

 these, I have no reason nor right to expect to be 

 happy — with them in full measure, every reason- 

 able ground for it, if coupled with industry and 

 the fear of God. 



Am I prosperous, rejoice therein ; if the re- 

 verse, I must meet my allotment with resignation, 

 finding my consolation in the consciousness of 

 having faithfully looked after my fiocks and my 

 herds, and availed myself of all the information 

 within my reach, and the resources of my own 

 mind, to achieve success. 



For the future, no success shall greatly elate, 

 or failure depress. If I deal my bread to the 

 hungry, nor hide myself from mine own flesh — if 

 I honor the Lord with my substance, and the first 

 fruits of all my increa.se, my barns shall be filled 

 with plenty, and my presses burst out with new 

 wine. This is the usual allotment of Providence, 

 and I will abide therein, with the full assurance 

 that each returning year will be a happy one. 



Bochester, Jan., 1863. o. K. 



Indolence is a stream which flows slowly on, 

 but yet undermines the foundation of every virtue. 



