1883.] 



45 



THE KIEFFER PEAR. 



That this Pear, which is producing such 

 innovation in Pear culture, is a veritable 

 prodigy, no one will perhaps deny. There- 

 fore, in order to do it justice, it seems nec- 

 essary to look upon it calmly and criticise it 

 philosophically, which, I am disposed to think, 

 has not been done in at least some instances, 

 judging from what I have read. That it is 

 not perfect, all should admit, — no fruit has 

 yet been produced that is, — but that it 

 possesses much merit, from a somewhat 

 full experience with it, I am ready to assert. 



"With its large size, peculiar form, and sur- 

 passing beauty, together with its remarkable 

 growth, early bearing, and ornamental prop- 

 erties of the tree, it has so fascinated many, 

 apparently (as men are known to have been 

 often fascinated from time immemorable), 

 that they are blind to any 

 defects, while some disap- 

 pointed ones can see in it 

 nothing to admire. Still 

 others, charmed at " first 

 sight," but chagrined at find- 

 ing it "not quite so " sweet 

 as appearances led them to 

 suppose, can speak of it only 

 slightingly. 



After growing the Kieffer, 

 seeing it in several different 

 places in New Jersey and 

 Pennsylvania, and having 

 tested it three consecutive 

 years, I would describe it in 

 brief as follows : 



In size it is large to very 

 large, of double turbinate 

 form, rich yellow, with ear- 

 mine cheek when exposed to 

 the sun ; showy and exceed- 

 ingly handsome ; an excellent 

 shipping and keeping Pear; 

 flesh harsh-grained and of 

 variable flavor; when well 

 grown and well ripened, 

 rich, juicy, peculiarly piqu- 

 ant, and spicy, and when 

 poorly grown or poorly rip- 

 ened, lacking in character. 

 Season, October to Decem- 

 ber. Tree, a marvel of 

 rapid growth and early bear- 

 ing, producing large annual 

 crops, symmetrical, with 

 large, glossy, dark-green foli- 

 age in abundance, render- 

 ing it decidedly ornamental. 

 Were it of uniform good qual- 

 ity, little indeed beside could be desired in it 

 as an autumn Pear. Although occasionally 

 a specimen of high quality can be found, in 

 the hands of the masses, who would not, it 

 is fair to suppose, treat it properly, it will be 

 found of second or third class quality. 



Finally, from its many properties of a high 

 order of merit, and lacking, as it does, only 

 uniform good quality, — like the Concord 

 Grape, Wilson Strawberry, Ben Davis Apple, 

 and other varieties of extensively grown 

 popular market fruits that might be enum- 

 erated, all of which are fully as poor in 

 quality as the Kieffer,— I am entirely satisfied 

 it has not only come to stay, but is destined 

 to become equally popular. I should have 

 arrived at this conclusion from its market 

 qualities, luxuriant growth, and productive- 

 ness alone ; but when I consider its super- 

 lative value for canning, surpassing all other 



varieties 'of Pears, — so desirable, indeed, for 

 the purpose that the canning establishments 

 alone will take all that can be produced for 

 at least the next ten years, at highly profit- 

 able prices, — I cannot perceive how it can 

 prove otherwise. J. T. Lovett. 



FERTILIZERS FOR THE VINEYARD. 



Grape-growers who have attempted study 

 and research on this special point are doubt- 

 less aware of the extreme barrenness of 

 American Grape literature in this regard. 

 With the constant and rapid increase of our 

 vineyards the importance of this subject be- 

 comes more apparent from year to year, in 

 consideration of which Professor G. C. Cald- 

 well, of Cornell University, laid before the 

 Western New York Horticultural Society 



THE KIEFFER PEAR. 



the results of the recent investigations of 

 several European, chiefly German, experi- 

 menters. The four propositions were : 



1st. What does the Grape take from the 

 soil. 



2d. The composition of a good Grape soil. 



3d. The composition of stable-manures, 

 and their ability to supply the requirements 

 of the vine and its fruit. 



4th. The use of commercial fertilizers, and 

 their adaptability for this purpose. 



Wagner, a German chemist, has made a 

 series of experiments to determine by analy- 

 sis the elements removed in the annual 

 trimmings, both in the green shoots of sum- 

 mer pruning and the ripe wood of winter 

 pruning, as well as the fruit. He found that 

 these removals were particularly rich in 

 potash and phosphoric acid; hence the 

 conclusion that the vine required a soil 



especially rich in these elements. Lime 

 seemed to be of but little account. 



It was further found that the wood and 

 leaves of sickly or diseased vines were very 

 deficient in these constituents. The propor- 

 tion of potash is very much larger in vigor- 

 ous, healthy vines, viz. : 



Healthy. Diseased. 



Leaves, 3? per ct. Leaves 15 per ct. 



Wood 15 do. Wood 5 do. 



The deficiency in the latter was made up 

 by the greater presence of lime ; in other 

 words, lime seemed to take the place of the 

 potash. 



In a crop of twelve hundred pounds of 

 fruit per acre it appeared that sixty-four 

 pounds of potash and sixteen pounds five 

 ounces phosphoric acid were removed in 

 the fruit and trimmings of the vines, and 

 yet these amounts are much 

 less than those contained in 

 Roots, Clover, or Potatoes. 



Stable-manure was highly 

 prized in some wine regions, 

 some vineyardists keeping 

 a herd of cows for the ex- 

 press purpose of obtaining 

 this means of fertilizing their 

 vineyards, while in other 

 sections an excess of these 

 manures was thought to make 

 poor Grapes and wines. 

 Stable - manure had been 

 mixed with muck, and differ- 

 ent mixtures of artificial 

 fertilizing substances had 

 been used with opinions 

 differing as to results and 

 effects. 



But Wagner, in his latest 

 and extensive investigation, 

 could not determine the 

 difference in affecting the 

 quality of the fruit, either 

 by use of phosphoric acid 

 or potash salts. Vines on 

 poor, unmanured land pro- 

 duced as sweet Grapes as 

 those highly fertilized, and 

 he concluded that stable- 

 manure, together with potash 

 salts, and perhaps phos- 

 f phates, will give the best 



results. 



On concluding, the Pro- 

 fessor remarked that, in 

 view of the interest mani- 

 fested in this matter, he had 

 thought he might be of 

 service in throwing light on this obscure 

 subject in cooperation with others. To this 

 end, if half a dozen or more Grape-growers 

 would conduct some experiments in this line 

 under his direction, he would analyze the 

 soils and direct the application of specific fer- 

 tilizers, with a view to determine, if possible, 

 the effect of different elements on the fruit. 

 The proposition met with a hearty response, 

 and may we not indulge a hope that some 

 important results will generate from this 

 movement ? 



E. Williams. 



Selection op Varieties. — When one is 

 not well acquainted with the special merits 

 of the different kinds of fruits, it is almost 

 always to the advantage of the purchaser to 

 leave the selection of varieties to some ex- 

 perienced and reliable nurseryman. 



