136 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
THE ADAPTATION OF THE PEAR TO THE MISSISSIPPI 
VALLEY STATES 
Climatic Considerations; Summing up of a Lifetime Experience in Pear 
Growing in the Upper Mississippi Valley 
Charles G. Patten, Charles City, Iowa 
So greatly unlike are the climatic conditions of the 
Mississippi Valley States that, at first thought, it might 
seem that there is little that is common to the different 
sections of this region, even if it shall embrace only Illinois, 
Missouri, Kansas and the Southern half 
of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota 
and Wisconsin. However, with the 
exception of the merest fraction of this 
immense territory that touches upon 
Lake Michigan, it has an intra-continen¬ 
tal climate, rising from its lower alti¬ 
tudes on its southern and eastern limit 
from 450 to 600 feet above the sea, and 
reaching by almost imperceptible 
degrees to an altitude on the north of 
about 1500 to 1700 feet, and on the west 
to a little more than 2000 feet. 
The territory embraced by these 
states and parts of states surpasses in 
square miles the combined territory of 
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West 
Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, 
Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan—a territory 
unequaled in richness and fertility by 
any other of like size in our great 
country and generally of most equable 
rainfall. A region which combines such wonderful wealth 
of soil, sunshine, and rain must become the home of teeming 
millions of people. 
THE HOME OF THE CULTIVATED PEAR 
Mr. Downing catalogues many hundred varieties of the 
pear, mainly of foreign origin; but they originated in mild 
and humid climates, very unlike the climate that we are 
considering. Many of them were adapted to regions bor¬ 
dering our Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes, where the 
climate, both in winter and summer, is tempered by their 
moisture laden winds, whereas the region which we are 
considering is swept by the dry and very cold winter winds 
from the Northwest, and the hot, scorching winds of the 
Southwestern plains. The constitution 
of the pear has been formed under such 
radically different climatic conditions 
that it cannot endure the change. . 
Hence, the “blight” that has almost 
driven pear culture from the length and 
breadth of this territory. Added to this 
unfortunate"^showing, we are confronted 
with the fact that not a single variety of 
the older and . better sorts can long en¬ 
dure the'winter climate north of latitude 
forty-two. 
EARLY ATTEMPTS AT PEAR GROWING 
In the early efforts of pear growing in 
Northern Iowa, the Flemish Beauty 
endured the longest, growing in some 
places to six or seven inches in diameter, 
well north of the forty-third parallel in 
Iowa, and bearing fine fruit. Perhaps 
Seckel, Anjou, Winter Nelis, Howell, 
and Sheldon stand next in hardiness and 
first in freedom from blight, though 
Mr. B. A. Mathews of Southern Iowa advises me that 
Durand, Koonce, German Sugar, Tyson and Vermont 
Beauty are worthy of trial in north Iowa for these qualities. 
HOME PRODUCTION OF SEEDLINGS NECESSARY TO 
SUCCESS 
There may be a few others that have the qualities of 
hardiness, goodness, and reasonable freedom from blight, 
but mention of these will serve to elucidate the real purpose 
for which this paper is written; to demonstrate the fact i 
that if pear culture ; 
throughout the length 
and breadth of this | 
Valley is ever made ' 
such a success as will , 
adapt it to the needs ■ 
and ability of the ’ 
general planter, its ! 
VARIETIES MUST BE ! 
ORIGINATED HERE. ^ 
The Burkett pear, j 
originating in Illinois, ' 
CHARLES G. PATTEN 
Plant breeder of Mississippi Valley 
