1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
21 
their greatest rapidity of growth. Even the Osage 
Orange, supposed to be secure from insects, was affect¬ 
ed late in the season. 
Whether in the preceding cases, the mischief had 
been commenced the previous winter, and was slowly 
advancing in progress, until it was suddenly developed, 
in the midst of summer; whether old or feeble trees are 
in some cases more liable than young and thrifty ones 
to the combined influence of cold, and the heat of 
summer; or whether this disaster is not the result of 
sudden atmospheric changes merely; oris caused by an 
influence as unknown an inexplicable as the potato 
malady, is at present, at least in some degree, involved 
in conjecture. That insects have produced it, and that 
frost often occasions it, cannot be doubted; but there 
may, nevertheless be other influences quite as potent 
and extensive; and where all are more or less operat¬ 
ing at once, satisfactory conclusions must necessarily 
foe very difficult. 
It has been suggested lately, that the disaster is 
produced by u a minute, venomous insect, the sting of 
which is poisonous to the juices of the pear.” But as 
neither the insect nor the perforation of its sting, have 
ever been distinctly discovered, and as it is not known 
that insects attack vegetable growth merely for the 
purpose of stinging and poisoning, and without some 
specific object, as for food or depositing eggs, either 
of which would be soon discovered—we think this the¬ 
ory must for the present be regarded as too conjectural 
to be adopted. 
Whatever may be the cause of this truly formidable 
evil, the best remedy, alike applicable to all cases, is 
instant excision of the affected parts. If an insect is 
within, burning the branches is essential. In the frost 
blight, cutting off some distance below the affected 
parts will, in most instances, prevent the poison from 
flowing downwards. It is true it often happens, where 
a tree is slightly affected, it recovers without any care; 
while again, when badly diseased, the whole tree may 
be cut away before the evil ends; but in by far the 
majority of instances, the remedy will be highly use¬ 
ful, and save the tree. It however often fails for want 
of constant and daily watching, and unremitting ap¬ 
plication. 
The best modes of ■prevention will doubtless be. more 
fully known when the causes are better understood ; 
but the precautions noticed in a former part of this 
article, to produce a good, ^healthy, well ripened 
growth, will, in many cases, be advantageous. 
The selection of varieties least liable to disease, may 
also be a useful aid in prevention. From its uncertain 
nature, and its different effects in various localities, it 
is hard to point out those the least liable ; but from a 
very limited opportunity for observation, it is believed 
that the Seckel, Washington, Summer Francreal, Skin¬ 
less, and perhaps the White and Gray Doyenne , are 
very rarely affected; while the Madeleine, Bartlett, 
Genesee, St. Ghislain, Passe Colmar, Dearborn’s Seed¬ 
ling, and many others, are frequent sufferers. 
Pears and Cherries. 
A deep interest is beginning to be felt in regard to 
tbe culture of fruit in the vicinity of Oswego, and I 
know of no business that pays the farmer better. In 
passing through several counties in this State, I have 
noticed that the choice kinds are very much neglected, 
especially the best kinds of the pear. Not one farmer 
in fifty has a tree, and where there are trees, they are 
generally of such fruit as is not worth cultivating. On 
conversing with intelligent farmers on the subject, and 
asking why they have no pear trees, the answer was 
that it takes them so long to come into bearing that 
it was hardly an object to set them out. This is the 
stumbling-block which should be removed out of the 
way. I acknowledge there are sorts which require 
ten to fifteen years to come into bearing, but there are 
other sorts that bear very young. I have a tree of the 
Bartlett variety, the trunk of which is only an inch 
and a half in diameter, that has borne three years, 
and was so heavily loaded in August, 1847, that it 
took four stakes to prevent the limbs from breaking. 
When people see these things they become convinced, 
and men from fifty to sixty years of age are willing 
to buy pear trees, and may reasonably expect to eat 
fruit from them. 
As to the blight in pear trees, I have never lost but 
one tree by it, and that stood in wet ground. I have 
about four thousand trees from one foot to twenty feet 
in height, and not a twig nor a leaf has ever been 
blighted, not even on those that have made eight feet 
growth in a season. My soil is a rich loam, and my 
trees are very healthy. I give the soil a top-dressing 
of manure every year, and plant it with some hoed 
crop. 
Cherries are as much neglected as pears; but I 
hope to see farmers soon set about raising the finest 
sorts, for there are now but few, comparatively, but the 
common red, which, when compared with the best 
kinds, is almost worthless. In my opinion an acre of 
land set to fine fruit would yield a greater profit than 
ten acres of grain. Fine cherries and fine pears will 
always find a ready sale and good price in our mar¬ 
kets. Schuyler Worden. Oswego . 
Oswego Beurre Pear. 
This is a new pear, raised from seed by Mr. Wal¬ 
ter Reed, of Oswego, N. Y., and brought into no¬ 
tice chiefly by Mr. J. W. P. Allen, of that place, 
who has left us some specimens of the variety, which 
we think fully deserving the high praise which has 
been bestowed upon it. It is a hardy and thrifty sort, 
and the tree bears early and abundant. Mr. Down¬ 
ing has described it in the Horticulturist, as combining 
“ in a great degree the finer qualities of the White 
Doyenne and the Brown Beurre.” Mr. D.’s descrip¬ 
tion of its form and qualities, is as follows:— 
u Fruit of medium size, form oval-obovate, regular. 
Skin smooth, yellowish-green, streaked and mottled 
with thin russet. Stalk short and stout, set in a bold 
