By the Rev. George Swayne. 



211 



begun to diffuse its farina, either one of its own, or, preferably, 

 of some ~>ther variety of Pear. Accordingly, on the 27th of 

 March, 1822, 1 began this operation, and in a day or two had 

 tied up in the manner est mentioned, twenty-seven blossoms. 

 Ten of these envelopes contained blossoms of the Beurre 

 Pear, which (it not blooming so early as the Gansell), were 

 the only ones I could then find in a state of expansion. Four- 

 teen (to make up, with the former number, two dozen), con- 

 tained blossoms from the same tree, and three blossoms of 

 the Pound Pear. From the latter presenting a large and 

 coarse appearance, I had very little expectation. I intended 

 to have done many more, but the weather getting colder, and 

 being myself not quite in health, I neglected it till it was too 

 late. The papers were not taken off till the loth of April, 

 on which day the weather began to be warmer, without sun- 

 shine. You will please to observe, that I had previously cut 

 off from all the corymbi with which the tree was abundantly 

 furnished in every part, all the blossoms except the three lower 

 ones, as in the former year; and that having tied up but one 

 ofthese in each corymbus, I immediately cut off the two remain- 

 ing ones. The blossoms were operated on in different parts and 

 aspects of the tree, for part of it, as I said before, faced the 

 south-east and part the south-west. Of the ten blossoms, treat- 

 ed with the Beurre Pear, eight set, two of which afterwards fell 

 off, but I suspect not fairly, and six are now proceeding to 

 maturity. One only of the fourteen, where its own blossoms 

 were used, now remains. Of the three wherein the Pound 

 Pear was concerned, the whole foiled. The only Pear now 

 on the tree which set naturally, and on which no operation 

 was performed, was produced on a cluster of blossoms, at the 



