226 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



be ripened in a warm room. I formerly advocated that plan, but I have 

 had the best success in keeping these pears in a room at 40*^ until ripened; 

 at 50" they were not so good, and at 60° I think the flavor is injured. 



The Chairman. — The Beurre d'Anjou promises a number of excellent 

 qualities; it never rots at the core, but begins to ripen on the outside, while 

 the Flemish beauty almost always begins to ripen at the core; it colors 

 well, very yellow with a red cheek. I consider it one of the best pears for 

 market. There is a great deal in soil and situation, in relation to pears, 

 not yet fully understood. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller. — This is true. In a conversation with a gentleman 

 from Norwich, Conn., this morning, he informed me that the Beurre 

 d'Anjou is the best of all winter pears, keeping well till January. 



Prof. Mapes. — I find that all my Duchesse pears that I procured in France, 

 in ripening show a much better color than fruit grown under the same 

 treatment upon native trees ; even grafts taken from the imported trees, and 

 grown on American stocks, do not produce the same colored fruit as the 

 original tree. It was the same when budded upon quince, as on pear 

 stocks; this is a fact hard to account for. The Glout Morceau is an ex- 

 cellent pear with me, very sweet, melting when taken into the mouth, and 

 brings a good price from judges of fruit. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller. — I am surprised to hear Prof. Mapes give the Glout 

 Morceau such a high character. I consider it has a very poor flavor, and 

 is very watery; soil, perhaps, has something to do with the flavor. The 

 Winter Nell is is a very superior flavored pear. 



Mr. Bergen. — I grow pears for profit, without reference to size or flavor. 



Mr. Carpenter. — Will Mr. Bergen give us an account of his way of ripen- 

 ing fruit ? 



Mr, Bergen. — I have no convenience for ripening or retarding fruit, 

 except what every farmer has. I keep mine in a barn or cellar. Last 

 year I placed some Easter Beurre near a furnace, but I did not ripen thera, 

 and I am afraid it will be so this. 



Prof. Mapes. — The best rule for all amateurs to follow is the French 

 catalogue, as to time of ripening the several sorts, letting them hang as 

 long as proper, and then storing them in as cool a place as they have, so that 

 it is five deg. above the freezing point, and then at the time would bring 

 them into a warm room to ripen. You must not put anything around them 

 to absorb the flavor; if you do, they will have no more flavor than a 

 turnip. I was pleased with the suggestion of Mr. Carpenter — packing them 

 in rye chaS". Pei'haps about the best thing is rice hulls, which are mostly 

 composed of silex. Do not use ground cork, plaster, charcoal, sawdust or 

 bran. 



Mr. Carpenter. — I think leaves, thoroughly dried, are excellent to pack 

 fruit in. 



Mr. Fuller. — I am pleased to find that the discussion has taken this shape. 

 I find in all our old works that they recommended rye chaff" to pack fruit in. 



Mr. Carpenter. — T think that fruit ripened in a cool room contains more 

 sugar than it would if ripened in a warm one. 



Prof. Mapes said it might have a sweeter taste and yet not contain so 

 much sugar. No one will contend that a pound of molasses contains a 



