THE RURAL WEW-YORlisiB. 
754 
tis has no black spots on the back or sides, but 
such spots are present on Abbotii and Lecon¬ 
te!, being closer together in the former than in 
the latter, and. as far as a published figure of 
Abbotii. by Riley, can be relied upon, there are 
three rows of these spots ou Abbotii, the spots 
beiug twice as long as wide, while in Lecontci 
there are four rows of spots, or even six rows, 
the spots in the back being somewhat triangu¬ 
lar, the upper spots ou the sides being nearly 
square aud the lower spots on the sides being 
smaller black marks; the young larvs of Le- 
contei, however, have no black spots. 
Another larva, whose parentage is not 
certain, was described by Asa Fitch in his 
4th report, p. 58. It is 25 mm. long, white, 
with black head; the body is not striped, but 
has two rows of oblong black spots along its 
back and a row of broader, square spots along 
each side. It seems to resemble L. Leeontei iu 
all except the color of the head. 
As regards the time of year at which the 
larvae may be found, this is various. The 
parents of L. Leeontei appeared in New Jersey 
February 15; others were captured iu North¬ 
ern New York in the middle of May, and larvae 
were found iu New Jersey in October. It 
seems evident, therefore, that there must be at 
least two broods in the year. In the absence 
of further positive proof, we may conjecture 
that the larvae could be found iu June aod 
July atul iu September aud October. 
Asa Fitch says of the undetermined species 
above referred to, that at least two broods ap¬ 
pear annually, the one iu July, the other in 
September and October, the latter often re¬ 
maining on the trees after frosty nights have 
occurred. 
The parents of L. abietis appear iu May, aud 
their larva? in June aud July. Some at least of 
these larvae reach the wiuged condition near the 
end of July and August, but Harris thiuks it 
probable that the greater part of them remain 
unchanged till the following spring. Filch 
suspects that there are two generations au- 
uually, the flies, which come out of their co¬ 
coons about the beginning of August, pro. 
dticing another brood of the larvae in the 
autumn ; but Norton says if there is » second 
brood in September, the number must be com¬ 
paratively small, for he has not seen them or 
any fresh cocoons late in the season. 
The parents of L. Abbotii appear early in 
Juue, aud there is but a single brood of larvae 
uuuually. The larvae remain ou the trees iu 
Illinois uutii November, aud do not change in to 
pupae until the winter is passed. 
The larvae of L. pinetum were described 
by J. Kirkpatrick, Nov. 24, 1800. If any in¬ 
ference can be drawn from the date of this 
publication, the larva! must occur late iu the 
full. 
As said above, these larvae, so far as kuown, 
feed upon Pines, Firs aud Spruces. L. Abbotii 
aud Fitch’s undetermined species feed on the 
White Pine [Pinna Slrobus]; L. Leeontei, on 
the Scotch and Austrian Pines | P. sylvcslris 
and P. Austriaea] ; L mui-rigidae, on the Pitch 
Pine LP. rigida], aud L. abietis ou Firs and 
Spruces [Abies], and perhaps also ou the Pitch 
Pine. L. abdotuiualis aud L. piuetum feed ou 
Pines, but we are not told ou which species 
they feed. It seems that L. Abbotii, L. abietis 
and L. Leeontei strip oft all the leaves from the 
branches, as they pass over them; hut Fitch’s 
undcteriniucd larva eats ouly the previous 
year’s growth of leaves, never touching the 
new leaves at the outer end of the limb. 
The larva? are social, living iu considerable 
swarms, or in clusters. Sometimes two larvae of 
L. abietis may he seen feeding together ou the 
same leaf, and sitting opposite to each other. Iu 
order to lay hold of the leaf more firmly, they 
curl the hinder part of the body around it,and, if 
they are disturbed, they throw up their heads 
and tails will) a jerking motion. The larva de¬ 
scribed by Fitch are so large, when nearly ma¬ 
ture, that probably the end of a single leaf of the 
Pine does uot furnish them a sufficient mouth¬ 
ful, hence two lame often stand face to face 
and hold, pressed together iu a bundle as they 
eat them, the five leaves which grow from each 
sheath of the White Piue, beginning to eat at 
tlie tip and gradually stepping backwards as 
the leaves become shorter. 
L. Leeontei and the species Fitch described 
make their cocoons at or beueuth the surface 
of the grouud, under fallen leaves or other 
shelter. Harris aud Fitch say that most of 
the larva? of L. abietis do the same, or creep 
Into cracks iu fences or into other crevices 
to make their cocoons, and that it is usually 
the healthy larva* which do this, those that 
make their cocoons among the leaves ou t]ie 
tree usually perishing from the attacks of in¬ 
ternal parasites; but Norton says that most 
of the cocoons of L. abietis, which he has seen, 
were formed upon the branches of the trees 
on which the larva? fed, and that they often 
adhere to the leaves until the next season. 
When L. abietis comes forth from the cocoon, 
it cuts a circular piece from one end of this, 
as eleauly as if the cut had been made with a 
knife. This piece sometimes remains attached 
by oue side, like a lid. 
Harris says that it is probable that the eggs 
are laid in slits which the parent flies make 
with their saws in the edges of the leaf. This 
is stated positively to be the case with the 
eggs of L. pini-xigidse, the eggs beiug laid 
singly in the side of the pine needle, some¬ 
times one on each side of the leaf. 
Norton has bred ten parasites from the co¬ 
coons of L. abietis. A list of these, and de¬ 
scriptions of some of them, are given in the 
Transactions of the Americun Entomological 
Society (Philadelphia) v. 2. p. 326 337. Most 
of these parasites bnrst their way out of the 
sidu of the cocoon, cutting with their jaws a 
rough passage, which may thus be distin¬ 
guished easily from the clean-cut passage 
made by the rightful tenant of the eocoou. 
L. pini-rigida? has been observed as yet in 
Massachusetts ouly ; L. abietis in Massachu¬ 
setts and Connecticut; L. abdominahs in 
New York and iu the territory northwest 
of the Mississippi River; L. Leeontei in 
New York and Aew Jersey: L. Akhursti in 
New Jersey; L. Abbotii in Georgia, Indiana 
and Illinois; L. Americana, L. compar and 
L. Fabricii in Georgia ; L. fnlva in Texas, and, 
L. pinetum in Ohio. Probably most of these 
species are widely distributed over the North¬ 
ern or Southern States. 
! ontological. 
A STRAWBERRY-COLORED APPLE. 
We have noticed that several of our ex¬ 
changes have of late made mention of a red 
apple sent to them from somebody in Missouri. 
We, too, have received an apple of which the 
accompanying cut showsa section. The sender 
did not favor ns with his name, but, on the 
other hand, to save us “trouble and expense' 
he scuds us quite a lengthy notice of this won¬ 
derful apple, written editorially aud setting 
forlh its qualities in high colors, which he 
desires us to publish, and ending with the 
statement that the supply beiug limited and the 
demand quite large, those wanting this curious 
apple should direct a note to River's Straw¬ 
berry Apple at some place in Missouri, 
The apple is of medium size: skin straw- 
colored, and the tlceh is of a beautiful red 
strawberry color all through ; rather dry, 
mealy, with but little flavor; it is of but little 
value except as a curiosity. It corresponds iu 
size, taste and peculiar color with the Surprise 
apple, which is an old and well known variety, 
and the probability is that they are identical. 
The peculiar method of sending this apple to 
editors without giving name of sender, and the 
fact that nothing at all is said of the origin of 
the tree, or who named it, hint strongly at 
fraud. If, therefore, our readers think the 
apple a desirable curiosity, let them procure it 
from a reliable nurseryman aud not from 
anonymous peddlare. 
-♦♦♦-- 
KIEFFER’S SEEDLING PEAR, 
Among the valuable new Pears that have re¬ 
cently been produced is the Kieffcr “Hybrid” 
Seedling Pear, an illustration of which we this 
week preseut to our readers. We are indebted 
to Mr. John S. Collins, of Morristown, N. J. 
for the specimen from which the engraving 
was made. He writes us that it was rather a 
poor specimen, having been picked from a 
small tree that was planted last spring. As 
the illustration shows, the pearls rather rough, 
of a handsome yellow color with minute dots, 
and a slightly ruddy check. The flesh is firm, 
juicy, of fair quality, but wc did not think it 
superior to the Duchesse d'Angouleme which it 
somewhat resembles. Mr. Collins writes, “Ido 
not claim high quality of fruit, but the tree is 
vigorous, free from blight, au early bearer aud 
very productive. It retaius the foliage late, 
and the leaf is rather broad and finely serrated. 
It is a valuable market pear, ripening as it 
does, from the first to the middle of October. 
When laid away, it ripens up slowly to a 
russet-yellow pear-color. I saw one pear on a 
small tree at Mr. Kieffer’s, the originator’s 
place, which he said measured over eleven 
inches around. The original tree, which is a 
. seedling of the Chinese Sand Pear, is now 
eleven years old and was the only valuable one 
of about 2000 seedlings.” 
-»♦ » 
A BLIGHT-PROOF PEAR. 
WILLIAM PARRY. 
Kieffer’s Hybrid Seedliug Pear is growing 
in favor wherever known. It originated about 
the year 1808, from the seed of the Chiuese 
Sand Pear, and is supposed to be crossed with 
the Bartlett, as the two trees grew near each 
other. The new seedling co mme nced to bear 
fruit iu 1873, aud has borne about all the tree 
• could sustain every year since,the quantity in¬ 
creasing with the size of the tree, which is now 
about six inches in diameter, and yielded, in 
1877,four bushels; in 1878, five bushels, and in 
1879, more than seven bushels of pears, which 
sold in market each year readily at 50 cents a 
half peck, or at the rate of $4 per bushel. The 
fruit ripens in October, is large, 10 to 13 inches 
around, double-turbinate in shape: flesh white, 
and remarkably firm, until fully ripe; then 
rich, juicy, with a pleasant vinous flavor and 
of excellent qnality. It is a good shipper, may 
be carried for a mouth, or more, aud arrive in 
better condition—ripening on the way—than 
when started, having a rich yellow appear¬ 
ance. 
The tree is a remarkably vigorous grower. 
Young trees transplanted last spring, have 
grown during the summer and fall four feet 
and more. They are of handsome shape, and 
make a fine appearance. One fruit grower 
being satisfied of its great value as a market 
fruit, planted an orchard of 500 Kicffer’s Hy¬ 
brid Pear trees, and set more than 20 of them 
in the front lawn for ornament, and, although 
it is in sod and has been for years, yet the trees 
have grown more than tb ree feet the first season 
after transplanting, and have borne some fine 
specimens of pears. The trees are beautiful 
in summer while covered with rich, glossy 
foliage, and not unsightly in the fail, when the 
limbs are bending in graceful curves, laden 
with the golden fruit. They grow well iu any 
ordinary soil—heavy clay or light sandy land. 
The largest growth made by trees planted 
this year, was on light saudy soil; many 
branches made a growth of four and a half feet 
in length. 
The great superiority of this variety over 
other Pears, in addition to the large size of the 
fruit aud the wonderful productiveness of the 
tree, is its perfect health, partaking in this res¬ 
pect of the characteristics of the parent Chinese 
Sand Pear, which has been cultivated halt a 
century in America, and has never shown any 
signs of blight or other diseases, which are so 
very discouraging to pear growers. Many pear 
trees of other varieties, partly dead with blight, 
have been restored by cutting away the 
blighted limbs aud grafting with Kieffer’s, 
which flourish and grow vigorously in the 
midst of others blighting and dying around 
them. 
In 1876 the Kieffer Hybrid Pears attracted 
much attention at the Centennial Exposition. 
The prize medal aud certificate of award were 
triveu to P. Kieffer for this variety. The Com¬ 
mittee's report says:—“He exhibits a hybrid 
pear of remarkable excellence, between the 
common pear ot cultivation aud the Chinese 
Sand Pear, giving promise of a new race of 
great excellence." 
Wherever exhibited in Pennsylvania or New 
Jersey, this variety has always taken the high¬ 
est prize for the best hybrid seedling blight- 
proof Pear. 
Clnuamlnson, N. J. 
-» - 
PEARS AND PEAR TREES. 
I J. BLACKWELL. 
It is supposed in this section that Pears, or 
rather that pear orchards, are not profitable. 
I will acknowledge that the profits are small, 
compared with those of twenty years ago, or 
when the White Doyeune was the most popu¬ 
lar pear. At that time there was uot a pear 
orchard of oue hundred trees in our township. 
A Bartlett or Duchesse d’Angouleme was a 
curiosity. It was about then that the pear 
mania commenced. The nurseryman planted 
trees that sold readily, and what he did not 
sell were left to fruit. Orchards sprang up ou 
most farms and in most gardens, and if the 
blight had not pnt in au appearance, pears 
would have been so abundant that every man, 
woman and child could know the virtues of 
good fruit, and have plenty of it. Every cata- 
' logue had a long list of varieties, from earliest 
to latest, embracing hundreds of different 
sorts, ninety-nine out of each hundred of 
which the orchardist, or the man that planted 
a few trees, did uot waut. 
The amateur plants to please some fancy, 
aud may think that he can afford to have a 
little pear that costs a good deal of money. 
The more it costs, the better it tastes. Of sev¬ 
eral varieties that I have, there are only a few 
that “pay" for home use. It is proper to have 
early pears for this purpose, aud, maybe, a 
few for a local market. I woull not like to 
be without Manning’s Elizabeth, a tree each 
of Doyenne d'Ete aud Rostiezer for early, and 
perhaps a tree of Madeleine. Kirtlaud should 
have a place, even for market; not many of 
them would be needed, for the Bartlett comes 
here from all the South. The Bartlett, Belle 
Lucrative, Seckel, Duchesse d'Angouleme, 
Beurre d’Anjou, Onondaga, Lawrence and 
Vicar of Winkfleld will supply a farmer with 
pears from the middle of July uutii Christmas, 
and twenty-five trees will ouly take a quarter 
of an acre of laud; and if lie uses this at the 
same time as a place for poultry, or for hogs, 
it will bo all the better for the trees. Twenty 
trees, fifteen years after ulautiug, will average 
a bushel to a tree, worth, on au average, fifty 
cents a bushel if sold, aud ever so much more 
8TRAWBKKRY-COLORED APPLE. 
