310 SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
order sparingly of those of which they are uncertain. It 
can never be truly for the interest of a Nurseryman to dis- 
seminate plants where they will be unprofitable to the 
planter. On this point the experience of planters is a 
sufficient check upon the operations of the nuseryrnan. 
Southern and Northern nurserymen are both sustained 
and benefitted by the general dissemination of good fruit, 
trees, vines, roses and shrubs. The demand for trees de- 
pends more upon placing in the hands of the public in 
general the desirable and beautiful articles now found in 
the collection of good nurserymen than upon anything 
else — it is necessary that people should buy and plant that 
they may see and enjoy, and if they wish to buy at home 
in preference to ordering from abroad, we have no quarrel 
to make with them for so doing — what we cannot supply 
to our mutual advantage, we do not wish to furnish. 
Northern, as v/ell as Southern people, have been made 
to suflfer for dealing with unscrupulous and irresponsible 
dealers in trees ; and the only protection there is against 
loss in this manner is, for every man to see to it that he is 
dealing with men who understand their business, and 
whose standing and reputation is some guaranty that they 
will not be deceived. 
Probably Messrs. B, or P, do not feel that they run any 
risk in importing a lot of trees from France or from 
Rochester, if they order of an honorable and experienced 
nurseryman — they expect the trees to grow as well and 
bear as good fruit as if raised in Georgia, 
Trees of various kinds are annually shipped from 
Rochester to the most Northern, as well as the most 
Southern limits in which they will flourish, and the in- 
creasing demand at this point shows that they are as suc- 
cessful as any trees that are planted. In fact, there is 
scarce a nurseryman in good standing, from Maine to 
Georgia, but procures more or less of his stock from this 
place. Yours lespectfully, 
H. E. Hooker. 
Rochester^ N. Y., September, 1859. 
PEAR CUIiTURE IN THE SOUTH. 
An Essay, mritten at the Request of the Aiken Vine 
Growing Association, of South Carolina, and read 
before that borly on Thursday, July 1th, 1859. By 
L E Berckmans, of Augusta, Ga. 
Mr. Chairman: — By resolution of the Society, com- 
municated to me, June 16th, you have appointed me to 
prepare an “Essay on the Culture of the Pear.” 
The duty conferred upon me by said resolution would 
be more thankfully accepted if I felt myself better quali- 
fied to carry out the viev/s of the Society. However, I 
hope to be able to throw some light upon the subject, by 
the result of over thirty years experience in fruit culture, 
on this and on the other side of the x^tlantic, and by my 
almost exclusive attention to Pear Cultivation in the South, 
during the past two years; 
The object of the Society in calling up the subject of 
Pear Culture, is undoubtedly to discuss thoroughly the 
advantages, inconveniences, profits and drawbacks of the 
cultivation of that class of fruit, in reference to its value 
as a marketable product, and as a reliable crop among 
the different fruit crops. 
In taking this view of the subject, our first duty must 
be to divest ourselves of all prejudice in discussing mat- 
ters of public interest; and as the production of such 
an important class of fruits as the Pear is at the eve of 
assuming large proportions, 1 cannot but highly approve 
the opportunity of putting the question before the public 
under the sanction of your authority, with a view to open 
the field to imp.artial discussions and informations. 
The culture of every comparatively new or not suffi- 
ciently tested fruit oi cereal, destined to occupy a promi- 
nent place in our markets, and to exercise a marked 
influence upon the general diet of the people, is well 
worth the earnest consideration of the Agricultural and 
Horticultural Societies of the Union. It is, in case of 
success, a benefit conferred upon the community, and, in 
case of failure, heavy losses of time and money saved ; 
for individual prejudices and hobbies, not to say anything 
about less worthy motives, are hard to be overcome ; and 
were it not for such unique and far-famed institutions as 
the American Agricultural and Pomological Societies, the 
now almost cleared field of pomology would be a wilder- 
ness of confused notions, inaccurate information, and, 
worse than all that, of bitter personalities and disputa- 
tions, where light and impartiality could hardly be ex- 
pected to find their way. 
Much as the Pomological Society has done for the se- 
lection and promotion of good fruits, we cannot expect to 
find among its documents sufficient information in regard 
to the South, v/here, indeed, the cultivation -of the Pear 
is still in its infancy. Even in the North it is, and will 
be for some time to come, a much controverted subject — 
the result of which has been a general uneasiness, mis- 
giving and doubt in regard to the probability of raising 
large crops of Pears ; and, considering so many would 
have to be discussed, so many objections to be overcome, 
our task becomes more difficult, and our wish to be brief 
and concise must yield to the necessity of conveying all 
possible information. 
To proceed in a regular and logical order, we have to 
indicate the principal points to be discussed in due suc- 
cession, and in regard to their respective importance. 
1. The first question to be examined seems to be: Is the 
Pear Tree, as a standard or as a dwarf, suited to the 
South, as far as Florida and Louisiana I 
2. The second is: Can it be cultivated with profit to a 
certain extent! 
3. Third: Is it durable, and not more exposed to dis- 
eases than other products'? 
4. Fourth : Can we expect to sell the crops with pros- 
pect of regular profits ”? Then, what varieties and seasons 
are to be selected for the market ! 
5. What soils and aspects, local conditions, manures 
and treatment are the best to insure a successful cultiva- 
tion of the Pear"? 
If I am not mistaken, these must be the main points to 
be examined in making up an essay— not a treatise. — 
Around those main questions other remarks will occa- 
sionally find place. 
It must be well understood that the Pear Tree is, all 
things considered, of a more refined, and consequently of 
a more delicate and weak constitution than the Apple, 
Peach and the Cherry — the improved Pear Tree of our 
modern times is so far removed from th-5 original wild 
parent found in ti e forests of the old continent, as to be 
altogether a different thing, and hardly bearing any like- 
ness to that original wild type. Long since have I sup- 
posed that this may be the cause of its weaker and more 
refined habits; for, we ail know that the more we make 
plants or trees recede from their original type, the more 
they become delicate and subject to various diseases. This 
law of nature is universal, and in accordance with it, the 
more refined is the fruit, the flower, or the foliage, the 
more delicate will be the plant. This rule admits of but 
few exceptions. 
But let the cause be what it may, it is a generally ac- 
knowledged fact, that the Pear Tree is more fastidious, 
less hardy, and requires a better management than most 
other fruit trees. It succeeds, however, where almost any 
fruit tree of the temperate zone succeeds, and it seems 
rather to be suited to a more Southern latitude than to the 
Northern States. More Pear Trees are killed by the me- 
diate or immediate effects of the severe frosts of the North 
than by any other cause, acting farther South, The blight. 
