58 BEURRE OLAIRGEAU. 
fails to produce a crop of fruit. It ripens in Octo- 
ber and November. 
The Seckel is a recognized favorite throughout 
the country. Its quality is unquestionable. The 
drawback to its culture for market is on account of 
its size and tardiness in coming into bearing. The 
tree must have age before any money can be real- 
ized from the Seckel. A list made up without this 
pear would be incomplete. In setting out an 
orchard, I would have but a comparatively small 
number of Seckels; in fact, I would much prefer 
grafting large trees of poor kinds with this variety 
than planting stock as it comes from the nursery. 
Beurré Clairgeau is a large and very showy pear, 
commanding a higher market price than any other 
variety ripening at the same time. We are culti- 
vating this variety in the orchard, but I am still un- 
certain whether it will come up to the standard of a 
reliable kind for market. The difficulty is, that in 
certain seasons the tree sheds its leaves during the 
month of August, and the fruit, before gathering 
time, is almost entirely covered with small black 
spots, which make it unsightly. In a few instances, 
I have known the fruit to be cracked. It has not 
done so on our soil. When Duchesse d’Angou- 
lémes are selling for $20, the Clairgeau, well grown 
will bring $30 per barrel. 
