328 



Profit of Pear Culture. — In our orchard we 

 have a large number of trees planted at different 

 times over a period of seventeen years. Our early 

 planting consisted of a great many varieties, the 

 largest portion of which were removed or worked 

 over with other varieties. Year after year this was 

 repeated, until we reduced our number from fifty to 

 eight sorts for market purposes. The largest 

 number of trees of any one variety in our orchard 

 is the Duchesse d'Angoulerae, which variety, with 

 us, with a few exceptions, has produced annual 

 crops of fruit. 



To give an account of the sales of fruit from our 

 entire orchard would be unsatisfactory, on account 

 of the difference in age of the trees, varying, as 

 they do, from two to seventeen years. 



Nine years ago I selected a single row of thirty 

 Duchesse d'Angouleme trees, planted ten feet 

 apart in the row. Since then I have kept an accu- 

 rate account of the total sales of pears from these 

 thirty trees. They are now seventeen years old, 

 and have prodaeed seven crops in eight years. 

 The trees are at present looking very well, and, if 

 we can judge from appearances, they will continue 

 to be productive fDr many years. They were, 

 originally, dwarfs, but I am quite confident they 

 are changed to standards, and this is true of the 

 majority of our Duchesse d'Angouleme trees. The 

 following is the amount of each year's sales : — 

 The 1st crop, the trees eight years old, $120 00 

 " 2d " 



3d 

 4th 

 5th 

 6 th 

 7th 



139 41 

 156 17 

 201 28 

 267 49 

 310 20 

 705 00 



Total, $1900 65 

 The row last year produced ninety-four bushels 

 of marketable fruit, which sold for $705, There 

 was a scarcity of peaches last year, and pears, in 

 consequence, brought higher prices than usual. I 

 will, in this connection, state that this row is the 

 best in our orchard, and no other of an equal 

 number of trees has yielded as abundantly ; nor do 

 I give these figures as a guide or criterion in pear 

 cultuFe, but simply place them before this Society 

 to show what can be reahzed from this variety. 

 From practical experience, I am thoroughly con- 

 vinced that Pear culture can be made to pay a 

 large profit, and is a safe investment, where the re- 

 quirements are complied with. We have made 

 pear culture profitable, although we have met 

 with, during our apprenticeship, many serious re- 

 verses ; but instead of being discouraged by these 

 drawbacks, they incited extra efforts on our part. 



NOTES AT MAJOn-G-lSMERAI. NEGLEY^S, 

 NBAR PITTSBCTRG PA. 



BY MR. W. HARVEY, PITTSBURG, PA. 



I have heard a great deal about this place. It 

 is a about four miles from Pittsburg, by rail- 

 road, at the Shady Side Station, owned and oc- 

 cupied by the well-known G-en. J. S. Negiey, the 

 lover of novelties. I was invited by the G-eneral to 

 see the place, and must say that I was amply re- 

 paid for my visit. Coming from the railroad, the 

 ftrst scene is a splendid piece of roses ; then 

 comes a very fine lot of seedling verbenas, groups 

 ofeannas and colocasia ; with the well kept grass' 

 the walks covered with tan, and everything com" 

 bined with neatness make it a complete paradise. 

 Farther on come six splendid lots of seedling gladi- 

 olus, .some of the most magnificent striped that ever 

 were .'eenby man ; then come Asters in almost every 

 shade and color. Some of the finest Double Zinnias 

 that can be found. Double Dianthus, from the most 

 pure white variegated to the deepest crimson. I 

 may add not in small patches, but covering an area 

 of between three or four acres of ground. Now for 

 coxcomb, which is well known to every one, but 

 here they are unsurpassable — they are monsters, 

 some measuring eighteen inches across and the old 

 original type ; there is a large patch, of all the sights 

 that ever I saw, those attracted my attention the 

 most : there were beautiful types combincn with the 

 richest of colors from a beautiful yellow to the most 

 Intense scarlet risings in ■ the centre with a dozen 

 stems, some conical, some pyramidal. 



The beautiful plumage of the centre, combined 

 with the branches round, makes it one of the great- 

 est novelties that can be found, the Ostrich with 

 all her beautiful plumage cannot be compared with 

 these. 



I have had experience lifting roses open ground in 

 summer, the 9th of August, very hot and bright 

 weather, I did not do it from choice but, as 

 the piece of ground was to be cleared where they 

 we^e growing; and as I did not like to loose the plants, 

 I concluded I would try what I could do. There were 

 only one hundred and twenty-two in all, I com- 

 menced by digging out a trench, working under the 

 plants as much as I could, then taking out the 

 plants, at the same having some boxes standing by 

 as I took them out. I put the plants in the box and 

 covered the roots with moist soil and a wet cloth 

 covered over the plants to keep them moist. I had 

 seven miles to take them, therefore was not potted 

 till the next day, — from taking up till potted, was 

 about eighteen hours. I may here state that I gave 

 them a severe pruning, and then after potting, put 



