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are young. 'When they fairly begin to bear, the 

 danger is in a great measure past. If about a 

 third of the length of the strong young shoots 

 were cut off about the 1st of September, th« 

 rest would ripen more perfectly. All strong 

 shoots that arise from the stem or main limbs 

 of the tree, and which are not absolutely 

 required to renew the tree, should be closely 

 cut out eai'ly in August so as to allow the 

 wound to heal over before the winter ; and in 

 all cases where it may be necessary, large limbs 

 or branchtts should be cut off in the spring, 

 close by the stem or limb, without leaving any 

 projecting stub, and the wound covered with a 

 preparation of gum-shellac dissolved in alco- 

 hol. 



The proper time to gather the fruit is also of 

 importance to be known. All pears are better 

 of being gathered a short time before maturity, 

 and ripened in the house ; «s when ripened on 

 the tree they are, in general, mealy, and com- 

 paratively inferior. But care must be had not 

 to pull them before they have attained their full 

 size. Directions have been given that whenever 

 pears will separate easily at the junction of the 

 staik with the branch, on gently raising them 

 with the hand, it is time to pull them ; but this 

 is not an invariable test, as many varieties will 

 separate easily when they are little more than 

 two-thirds grown, and though some varieties, 

 such as the Bartlett, will ripen well when gather- 

 ed or blown off at this stage of maturity, they 

 are always smaller, and inferior in appeaiance 

 and coloring, while many varieties will shrivel 

 and be worthless. It is only experience that 

 will tell the right time. Winter pears should 

 be left on the tree as late as possible, so as not 

 to be injured with severe frosts. A slight frost 

 will not hurt them. 



SELECT LIST OK TWENTY FIVE BEST PEiB8 FOR 

 GBNERAii CCLTCRE. 



The following list of what I consider the best 

 twenty-five varieties of pears for general culture, 

 taking all things into consideration, will, I think, 

 greatly help the new beginner in fruit culture, 

 as well as those who haveliad some experience. 

 It is, however, very di£Scult to reduce the selec- 

 tion to exactly that number, as some left out are, 

 on account of their hardihood or other good 

 qualities, nearly as good as these, and for some 

 localities even better. I have given a supple- 

 mentary list of other varieties that are really 

 good, though many of them not yet suflSciently 



tested to warrant them as suitable for general 

 culture. 



I have also given a separate list of cookiug 

 varieties, the previous lists comprising only 

 table fruit. Thpse will be found very profitable 

 to raise for the market, on account of keeping 

 so well during winter. Sufficient attention has 

 not yet been paid to this branch of fruit culture. 



I have also given a list of the most hardy varie- 

 ties selected from these lists, which will be found 

 most suitable for cultivation in the colder parts 

 of the country. 



The times of ripening here given are the 

 average times of ripening at Windsor ; as you 

 go to the east and north they will ripen from a 

 fortnight to three weeks later ; they are also 

 placed in the list as nearly as possible in their 

 order of ripening :— 



BUHUGR PEARS. 



Doyenne d'Eti. — Small, clear, yellow ; often 

 shaded with red ; the best, very early pear ; a 

 free grower, and early bearer as a standard ; on 

 the quince it succeeds pretty well, but is apt to 

 overbear and get stunted, in which case half of 

 the fruit should be thinned out and the tree well 

 manured ; ripens early in July. 



Beurre Gifard. — Medium size, greenish yel- 

 low, marbled, with brownish red ; the best early 

 pear, exceedingly juicy, sweet, and melting ; tree 

 a moderate grower, with slender reddish shoots ; 

 bears early and well on the quince, and as a 

 standard grows slowly at first, but becomes 

 eventually a thrifty and very productive tree. 

 August. 



Supreme de ^iV/iper.— Medium size, yellow, 

 with a reddish brown cheek ; very sweet and 

 fine. The tree is a very erect grower, like a 

 Lombardy poplar, — succeeds well as a standard 

 or on the quince ; tree hardy, and a very early 

 and excellent bearer, — August. 



Rostiezer. — Nearly medium size ; dull greenish 

 yellow, covered with brown and russet, exactly 

 resembling a Jargonelle inminature ; one of the 

 most delicious pears ; tree very hardy ; makes 

 very strong straggling shoots ; needs severe 

 pruning to keep it in shape ; succeeds well either 

 aa a Standard or Dwarf, — August and Sept. 



fcUTtTHN PHARS. 



Ananas dEtS. — Large, a most beautifal and 

 excellent pear, not sufficiently known ; an in- 

 ferior pear having been described under this 

 name in some works ; skin clear yellow with a 

 beautiful red cheek when exposed to the sim ; 



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