The Canadian Horticulturist. 15 



PEARS FOR PROFIT. 



A SUCCESSFUL Hudson river grower of pears says, in the American Garden, 

 (sf\ that the conditions for successful pear growing are so local that there is 

 little danger of over-doing the business. He advises a strong loam, heavily 

 fertilized, and obtains the best result by using both stable and commercial fertil- 

 izers. Of the latter, he uses chiefly unleached ashes and prepared bone. He 

 believes in cultivating the pear orchard throughout its entire existence, ceasing 

 however, about the middle of July of each year. With regard to the question 

 whether standard or d\varfs are more profitable, he thinks that most people will 

 succeed better with standards, but, upon right soil, and with the right man to 

 handle them, dwarfs may be the more profitable. Mr. Powell emphasizes the 

 importance of handling pears for market in the following words : " Pears are ready 

 to pick as soon as the stem parts readily from the spur when the fruit is raised up 

 by hand. The entire stem should always be left on. If you are growing pears 

 for a fine market, as I am doing, the fruit should be ripened undercover by piling 

 them in a dry room and covering them with blankets. A high and rich color and 

 the very highest flavors will be secured in this manner. As soon as the color 

 becomes pronounced, place them upon the market. Fine fruits* should be market- 

 ed in small packages, for it then ships better and is more attractive. I have ex- 

 ported pears to a large extent, and I find a good and growing foreign market. 

 Even in France the demand for American pears is considerable. Of the medium 

 size or small pears, as Clairgeau and Lawrence, I place four dozen in a box for 

 exportation, and of the larger kinds three dozen. The fruits are wrapped in paper 

 and packed in layers separated by excelsior. 



My choice for standards is as follows : Tyson, Clapp, Bartlett-Seckel, Shel- 

 don, Anjou, Bosc, Clairgeau and Lawrence. For dwarfs I have had best success 

 with Bartlett (preferably double-worked), Anjou and Duchess. For export I grow 

 Bosc, Clairgeau and Lawrence." 



It appears to the editor that two excellent summer pears are left out of account, 

 viz.. Summer Doyenne, which ripens about the 20th of July, and is a pear of good 

 form and color ; and the Beurre Giffard, which comes in early in August, quite as 

 soon as the Tyson, and very much its superior in appearance. The Seckel we 

 would leave out of the list altogether. It is too small for any Canadian market, 

 and we do not care to be the one to try to make so small a pear profitable when 

 there are so many of finer appearance, even though they are behind it in quality. 



Fruit Dangers and Remedies. — An excessive amount of fruit, or if eaten 

 in an unripe or over-ripe state, produces various disturbances in the system, chiefly 

 so because of its tendency to ferment and decompose within the digestive tract, 

 and to produce stomach and bowel disorder. If these disturbances are not toa 



