FEB 24 
before they were fully grown. When this is 
the case nothing can be less gratifying than 
the Rutter pear. The KeifTcr is of this class. | 
It is an enormous bearer sometimes when it 
happens on a stock which checks its exuberant 
growth. In flavor it is then of little value. 
But I had supposed all this was known to in¬ 
telligent pear growers. When a variety is 
once produced the fruit of which any one not 
an idiot can safely say are among the most de- | 
licious he ever tasted, and another hands 
him some of the same kind that are worthless, 
it is a fail' supposition that the grower is just 
as likely to be poor as that it is a poor variety. 
Germantown, Pa. 
FROM J. B. ROGERS. 
Probably no fruit is at the present time ex¬ 
citing more interest in New Jersey and else¬ 
where than this pear. This arises on account 
of its supposed parentage—being a cross of the 
Chinese Sand pear and one of the finest cultiva¬ 
ted varieties—and of the value of the fruit in a 
horticultural view. The tree is of vigorous 
growth, dark green, glossy leaves, an early 
and prolific bearer. The fruit is of good size, 
roundish-oval, narrowing at both ends, with 
the largest diameter near the center. Many 
are diversified in shape, owing to contraction 
from the base or stem to the calyx or blow. 
In color those grown in the sun are orange 
yellow, with a rosy blush, making a very 
showy pear. The remainder have the rosy 
blush, and are from a russet to orange yellow. 
Flesh white, coai'se. Flavor, variable. The 
year 1882 was one in which pears of all varie¬ 
ties did not attain full perfeetiou, which fact 
may to a certain extent have u bearing on the 
tests given below. 
While attending the Burlington County Fair, 
October 18, 1 obtained five Keiffei-s from dif¬ 
ferent parties—one picked before fully ma¬ 
tured, small in size, a beauty in color, a deep 
orange yellow with a rosy blush; two of 
large size, not of as deep color; two of large 
size, good specimens. The first I tested on 
October 25 in the presence of some 20 persons 
visiting me. The pear was in good eating 
order, somewhat juicy, flesh white, rather 
coarse, flavor partaking of that of the Band 
pear. Most of those present remarked that the 
flavor was somewhat of the acid of a quince, 
none of them ever having eaten the Sand pear. 
On November 61 tested one of the second, 
having given the other away. Flesh white, 
more juicy than the one of October 25; 
coarseness about the same; flavor not as acid. 
On November 18th I tested one of the third 
specimens, the other being given away. This 
was best of all I have eaten—flesh, white, some¬ 
what coarse, very juicy; not an unpleasant 
acid. This pear had begun to decay at the 
core. The gentlemen to whom I gave the two 
mentioned above, informed me that they were 
the best be had eaten, the one from the second 
lot being the best. 
On January 10, 1888, I ate of several that 
had been kept in a fruit house at a temperature 
of about 35 degrees. They were placed in it 
about the middle of October, and had kept re¬ 
markably well. These were all coarse and 
poor. Others eaten at the same time, that had 
been kept in cellars, were better as regards 
flavor. 
From what I have seen and eaten of the 
Keiffer, the flavor is the best at or alx>ut the 
time decay commences at the core. The flavor 
is that of the Sand pear, modified in acidity. 
The Keiffer has several very strong points in 
its favor, and as to its flavor, it is on trial and 
more time must elapse before a correct ver¬ 
dict can be had. 
Milburn. N. J. 
FROM H. A. CHASE. 
If we both live until another Fall I will send 
you a quantity of the Keiffer pear; also some 
of it canned. Referring to Mr. Satterthwaite 
whose statements 1 indorse, as you may know, 
he is a good cultivator. He gave his trees 
plenty of manure and this is one of the things 
the Keiffer needs every time. Properly grown 
and properly ripened, the Kieffer is not, in my 
opinion, any more valuable than theDuchesse. 
It would have been better in my opinion if the 
Keiffer had not been brought out with quite 
such a flourish of trumpets; but it has merit. 
The more it is known the better it will lie liked. 
In my little orchard on the Racoon Mountains, 
above the Water Gap, I have about 150 trees 
of Flemish Beauty, Doyenne Boussock, etc., 
just come into bearing, that 1 shall top-graft 
with Keiffer the coming Spring. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
Extracts from report of E. Satterthwaite 
Chairman of fruit Committee to the Pennsyl¬ 
vania State Horticultural Association. 
“I have fruited the Keiffer three year's, 
and last year had more than 100 bushels of 
fruit. I had trees not over one-and-a-hulf inch 
in diameter that prod need over a bushel of fruit. 
Every pear was of uniform, large size and as 
perfect in shape as if made in a mold, and all 
ripened of a rich, golden-yellow color, quite a 
number with a beautiful red cheek- 
kept for weeks after coloring and, when per' 
fectly ripe was of uniform good quality. It 
is always a splendid fruit for cooking. . . . 
“ I have no hesitation in pronouncing it by 
far the most valuable fruit, to me, that I have 
ever had.” 
THE RURAL’S REMARKS. 
Late in December we received a basket of the 
Keiffer and Beurre d’ Anjou pears from a friend 
who does not care to have his name mentioned. 
They had been kept in a fruit house at a tem¬ 
perature of 38 deg., and were in a perfect 
state of preservation. It would appear that 
they might be kept iu this way for two months 
longer, at least, without decay. The Beurre d’ 
Anjou was not quite ripe—the Keiffer perfectly 
so. They were of a rich, golden yellow, red¬ 
dish on one side with occasional patches of 
russet. Judged at that time and from those 
specimens, they possessed little of the pear 
flavor. It might be well imitated by adding 
a Little acid and sugar to water. There was 
no decided or agreeable taste. Its flavor was 
precisely that of the Sand pear, somewhat in- ; 
tensified. A sketch of the Sand pear, its 
mother parent, is given at Fig. 81. 
Dec. 29. The Beurre d’ Anjou pears at this 
date readily yielded to the pressure of the 
thumb. The Keiffer did not. 
Jan. 7. One pear had become somewhat 
mellow and slightly decayed in a few small 
The quality of this pear was rather 
The flesh was a trifle more tender 
about the calyx. The flavor was something 
like that of the quince, or there was at least 
an unusual flavor or want of flavor for a j>ear, 
but it was pronounced “ eatable” by the four 
persons who ouch ate one-quarter. 
Jan IS. The last jxvar of this lot was eaten. 
There were black spots here and there <m the 
skin. It was sound inside—quite juicy. The 
quality was not changed. It was neither 
buttery, melting n< >r tender. 
Jan. 9. Mr. J. B. Rogers brought specimens 
to tliis office from Mr. J. S. Collins to whom, 
by the way, we are indebted for our oue tree 
at the Rural Experiment Grounds. These 
pears were no better than those of which we 
have been speaking. 
Jan 31. We received two Keiffer pears 
from Pres. Win. R. Ward, of Newark, New 
Jersey, a true portrait of one of which is pre¬ 
sented in this impression at Fig. 79. The 
other was badly decayed at the core, though 
sound externally. These, though rather larger 
than those of wliicli we have boon speaking, 
were in quality no better. 
The Keiffer is as showy as any pear we 
have ever seen, aud it may well be said that 
it will sell in the market at a very high price 
until its quality becomes well known to pur¬ 
chasers, Its shape, however, is so distinctive 
and peculiar that those euting it once would 
be the more likely to pass it by for the future. 
As a cooking or preserving pear we should 
prefer the Keiffer to the quince, or to any of 
the well known cooking pears which are cul¬ 
tivated for that pmpose alone, as, e. g ., the Ca¬ 
tiline, an outline of which is given at Fig. 82. 
While the Catiline is harder and the flesh 
more “ gritty” than that of a Keiffer, it has 
less flavor and i i tore asfcringency. The Keiffer 
has often been compared with the Duehesse 
d’ Augouleuic; hut there are few traits in 
common. The Duehesse is comparatively 
sweet—never acid. It is never hard when 
fully ripe and the indurated cells (gritty 
grains) of the flesh are far less numerous and 
hard. 
The Rural, New-Yorkf.r has a number of 
excellent friends who are largely interested 
in the Keiffer Pear, and we are the more anx¬ 
ious not to judge of its quality or its general 
value hastily. We have therefore taken pains- 
to place l»ef ore our readers the estimates of sev¬ 
eral of our distinguished pomological friends, 
feeling t hat Rura l readers will be sale in draw - 
ing conclusions from their statements. Ourown 
opinion, .judging alone from the sjieeimens al¬ 
luded to above, is that it is very variable, but 
that at its best the Americas Pomological 
Society would not rate it above “good,” 
while the average Keiffer pear is valueless to 
eat out of baud. While, therefore, we can¬ 
not at present speak a good word as to its 
quality, we are ready to urge that in all 
other respects it is an eminent success. 
iiliscfUmuous. 
RURAL BRIEFLETS. 
Mr. Thomas Meehan has stated his opin¬ 
ion as to the Niagara Grape. He says it is a 
very tine kind both in bunch aud beriy—color 
white aud flavor very sweet. We lan e never 
thought so well of the quality as Mr. Meehan 
does, but as to showiness of bunch and Iten-v 
productiveness and hardiness of vine, taken 
all together, we have never seen its equal. 
Unless it deteriorates, it is by all odds the 
coming grape for the millions. 
Mr. A. R. Fuleer of Northern New' York, 
an experienced poultry raiser, tells us that he 
is greatly amused at the different opinions as 
to which is the best fowl expressed iu our 
poultry notes. He finds very little difference 
in different varieties if they all get the same 
care, except, of course, he needs a very hardy 
kind to endure his climate. He has settled 
on the Games and Plymouth Rocks, l>oth good 
layers, good mothers and both first-class 
broilers ... 
Let the next meeting of the American 
Bornological Society to t»e held in Philadel¬ 
phia next September be ouo ever to be remem¬ 
bered. It meets but once iu twm years. The 
w'ork of the society has proven of the greatest 
value to pomologiste everywhere. 
A writer in the Homestead has had a 
demonstration of the influence of the moon 
on vegetation. Two years ago, wishing to 
get rid of some Honey-Locust trees, and be 
ing told by a neighbor that if they were 
girdled during the first three days of the dark 
of the moon iu May they would die, he let his 
neighbor girdle three at that time, aud 
he girdled the others a week later. Result— 
the first lot had shed their leaves aud were 
all rotten and fallen down within nine months: 
the second lot died within the year, but did 
not fall. There are several difficulties about 
believing in the moou doing so much as is here 
attributed to her. As one swallow does not 
make a Summer, so one event does not make 
a demonstration. The neighbor appeal's tit 
liave had the sharpest axe or strongest arm, 
as he cut deep enough to allow the wind to 
blow the trees over; for we can’t suppose that 
the moou, after losing all her own trees, 
should be stretching out some invisible arm 
trong enough to pull down trees ou the earth. 
The month of May is a critical time iu North¬ 
ern tree-growth. The stem is surcharged 
with crude sap which soon decomposes as the 
weather becomes warm, if the leaves do not 
unfold and use it. Hence rapid decay of wood 
cut then, and fatal effects from pruning at 
that time. But a week may make a great 
difference, especially it the weather is very 
wet, or very warm, or loth, or neither, anil 
one tree may be in the critical stage of growth, 
while another adjoining, may have jiassed it. 
A friend writes ns that, now is the time farm 
ers are think ing about w hat .stallions they shall 
secure the services of. “Would they could all 
use such a one us * Almo’ figured in the Rural 
p. 89. The improvement would lie worth 
millions to them in building up a new stock 
of horses for the farm, as well as for city 
truck work, etc”... 
James Carter & Co., the great Loudon 
seedsmen, offer “aesthetic flowers.” Among 
them are many named varieties of the single 
dahlia.... 
Mr. Libby, the agricultural specialist of 
Hirain Sibley & Co., writes us that the new 
Rochester Tomato is the result of a cross bo 
tween Lostcr’s Perfected and the Acme. It is. 
he says, the largest smooth tomato he has seeu 
The fruit q 
places. 
better. 
The Keiffer Pear—From Nature—Fig. 79. 
