108 
Another matter is this: where are v/e going to 
find in America suitalsle locations for seed-bearing 
groves of trees of both the calleryana and the us- 
suriensis? In wild sections we cannot protect the 
trees or- prevent animals from carrying a\'/ay the 
fruits and in settled districts there are nearly 
always some cultivated pears nearby which may pol- 
linate our wild-type trees and render the seeds of 
inferior value. 
Prof. Reimer brought up some more arguments; 
one is this: will the calleryana pear be a suit- 
able stock for all cultivated varieties of pears? ' 
Y/ill the true ussurlensis pear be a congenial 
stock for all cultivated varieties of pears? Will 
they give their hosts long life or will they not? 
Will the union be so perfect that storms will not 
blow them off, like happens to pears that were 
grafted on quince-stocks in California? Wm soils 
influence the root-systems of these pears more 
than they do those of the Japanese forms of Pyrus 
serotina or the French P. communis , which are used 
nov/ so commonly all over the United States. 
Concerning hybridization experiments he asks 
these questions: will hybrids between P. communis 
and P. ussuriensis and with P. calleryana produce 
trees that bear fine quality fruits and are im- 
mune to fire-blight at the same time? — Only long 
and careful experiments can settle these questions, 
he says, and we are just at the very beginning of 
most interesting lines of most constructive work; 
I certainly think that we all have to agree with 
him in this matter. 
Concerning the very great amount of time that 
I have been giving these pear-problems during the 
last year especially. Prof. Reimer is of the 
opinion that it is well worth v/hile. He thinks 
my work alone is worth several hundreds of thousands 
of dollars to pear-grov/ers all over the United 
States. The collecting of seeds of Pyrus calleryana 
alone v;ill supply him and hundreds of others with 
sufficient. material for experiments for many years 
to come. This appreciation from him pleases me 
quite well; it offsets some of the sorrow that I 
have at the loss of most of my former introductions 
of species and varieties of pears. 
I showed Prof. Reimer my note No. P446a (SPI 
No. 45586) of this cultivated P. calleryana . He 
remarks that he would not advi'se inoculating one 
year old seedlings with the blight-virus, since 
December 31, 191?. 
