PROCEEDINGS OF THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 717 



Lucrative and Flemish Beauty, is in an eating condition but a short period, 

 rapidly passing to decay, very often before it seems to have reached its ripened 

 Btate. 



The Duchess d'Angoulcme, Bcurre Die! and Beurre d'Anjou constitute 

 our best late autumn pears. The Duchess is too well known to require any- 

 thing more of commendation than to say, this most magnificent pear, when 

 well cultivated will give entire satisfaction as to the size and character of 

 the fruit, as well as proye a most ffbundant bearer. My trees commenced to 

 bear some twelve or fifteen years ago, and have never failed with each return- 

 ing year to give me a good crop. The Duchess is the only one of all the 

 pears thus far named I would recommend dwarfed on the quince, though the 

 others associated with it, the Beurre Deil and Beurre d'Anjou, seem well 

 adapted to dwarfing; but that they will be better than on their own stock, 

 our experiments, under the mania for dwarfs, have not been sufficiently multi- 

 plied to satisfy me. The Beurre d'Anjou on the pear stock is a thrifty and 

 hardy variety. 



Equally well proved has been that oldest and longest cultivated of the for- 

 eign pears, the Beurre Deil, so rich, so sugary, so melting in character that 

 I do not ever remember to have heard a word spoken against it ; certainly in 

 this respect a living example for fruit growers tu imitate. The Bcurre d'An- 

 jou later introduced, I think by Mr. Wilder, is one of the few that has im- 

 proved upon acquaintance, so that it may truthfully be said, we think more 

 of it now than ever. It has uniformly proved most excellent, not only equal- 

 ing but exceeding our most sanguine expectations ; we want nothing better as 

 a dessert pear. It hangs well on the tree, quite as well as the Lawrence, and 

 ripens later, after the Duchess and Beurre Clairgeau. 



The Beurre Clairgeau, a splendid pear of large size and beautiful appearance, 

 has been improving upon acquaintance, and during the past season has been 

 quite favorably introduced to city consumers ; it has been well spoken of and 

 often enquired after. I give it a large place in my orchard. 



The Columbian Virgalicu brings up the rear of the autumn pears, and is 

 quite fond of being on hand at the holidays; and, vi^ith its clear smooth 

 skin of lemon yellow,^ makes a good display and is consequently sought 

 after when its better neighbors have had their day and been forgotten. 

 By some it has been thought coquetish, but I think without reason. Its 

 clear skin covering, melting flesh, not wanting in richness, and of delicious 

 flavor, should exculpate it from such imputations^ 



Of the winter pears, the Lawrence, Beurre Nouvcau, and the Glout Mor- 

 ceau, must have a place in every collection. The Lawrence, if not already, 

 is destined to be the most popular of winter pears, as well as the most re- 

 munerating to the orchardist. The Glout Morceau has sadly disappointed 

 the ranjority of fruit growers, on account of the great proportion of knotty 

 and deformed fruit in every crop, exciting our disgust wiini the iVuit is 

 gathered, but at its ripening the few specimens that are fair and well grown 

 seem to atone for the defects of the mass, so that I am too well pleased 

 with it to drop it from the collection. Loving a good pear as I do, I 

 pliould bo pained to lose that one which I have regarded the most lusciou.s, 

 most delicious oi all. 



I have said nothing of the Winter Nelis, the Easter Beurre, or the Vicar 



