Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-08-29

| DtLAWAhE OlI1, aug. 70.
find great interest in pear growing in thit
region, at this time, when the peach crop is 81
near failure in the upper part OF Delaware
| But there is an acknowledged ignorance Of the
best varieties to plant, and Of the treatment the
trees and the pears should receive to secure the
best returns.
Having taken some pains to obtain knowledge
| for my own benefit, such as have found of use
to me, will communicate to your readers, il you
| will allow me space. For marketing, but few
varieties should be selected - such as make a
succession from July to April-six to eight in
all. have found no pear ripening in July, before
peaches that is worthy Of cultivation, except
| Doyenne d'Ete and Elizabeth Manning,
The Doyenne d'Ete is snug and sprghtly
grower and very early bearer ON the ounce, and
| when placed in ground that will produce seven
ty-tive bushels Of corn to the acre. it becomes
perfect gOrmandizer of the elements Of growth
and throws up shoots each year after the LIST
from two to Ave feet, which, of course must be
cut back TO make 1t productive II fruits the second
year from the bud. and is a most excellent
pear for family use. 1t rpened in Delaware
City July 18th. IL is not known az a market
pear.
The Elizabeth Manning promised we'll, grew
luxuriantly as dwarf, came into profit in thrse
or four years from the bud sold we'll in market
but In the clay soils Of New Castle County has
been subject to disease and early death. 1t
ripened about the middle of July, and was sent to
market before peaches were ripe and command
ed high price. 1t is pity we cannot grow it here.
1t may do better OH tue warm, sandy soils of
Kent and Sussex counties. l should like to hear
from any who have succeeded with it after eight
years trial.
The Bartlett, though not first class pear,
needs nothing said in its praise II is invalu-
able for market purposes, but it must be grown
as standard, that is, budded on pear stock, on
ounce it is worthless. 1t grows rapidly. makes
n " rong tree, bears for me in years from the
bud, and continues to bear bountifnlly every year
1t rpens the 25th of August, ready for picking
and cooring in dark room where 1t should be
placed for two weeks, and perfectly
dried before il is sent to market The rich gol-
den color. we'll AZ the flavor OF this pear, will
be improved by this treatment though it is not
essential to 1t to some other varieties. Bart
let's brought last season, the great peach year
three dollars basket in the Boston market But
of course they were fine, select pears, free from
knots, and highly colored It is OF no nse to
send small. knotty and inferior pears to market
especially to the Boston market They know
good pears in Boston, and raise them in great
perfection but month after ours are gone.
The Seckel il another of the well-known uni
vernal favOrltes among pears, ripening the first
Of September. Though only about one-foulth
the Size OF the Bartlett, it is always in demand
on account of it's superior and delicious flavor.
The tree IL everywhere free from disease, and
bears rough treatment with more meekness and
less resentment than most pears. But is long
in coming into bearing in higher latitudes. In
some parts of New York it is fifteen to twenty
years before it produces the first fruit. But
when it begins to bear the yield s steady and
enormous have often seen twenty bushels, or
forty baskets. of Ssckel pears growing on tree
in a neglected pasture 1t comes into bearing,
AZ do all pears much sooner in this latitude
Yesterday | saw Seckel, Six years from the bud
with at least three baskets Of pears on it. and it
had borne two years before, a few each year
Grown on ounce, the Seckes that | have observ-
cd very small and kuotty. By keeping the
Seckel in a cool dark place, free from moisture,
its period OF ripening may be retarded until near
ly the first of October.
The Duchesse D'Augouleme is the queen Of
the pears, immense in eiZe when bountitully fed
and the supply of potash abundanti otherwise it
will grow knotty and irregular. 1t must be
grown OH the ounce, with which it untes read-
| ly, and when the qniuce stock is buried four
inches below the surface in planting the pear
scion will send out roots in a few years. 30 that
| the tree becomes in reality standard with
qulcs root, This tree docs not stand extreme
cold Northern nurseTymen find it hard to eult-
vate on that account, and it is better for those
who order only one years growth from the bud
| in the fall They will then get trees of strong
growth and abundance OF hbrous root, which
| will come into profit in three or four years, if
we'll cared for, instead of being eight and ten
/ years before they produce. The ground can
/ scarcely be made too rich titled to too great
| uepth Tor the hlBhest perIectlon OF TINS
NOBLE pear. l have not seen an orchard
in the State of Delaware where
i the trees have received decent treat
ment, hardly better than crab apples ought to
receive, and yet have seen very hne pears here
The wonder is that they can do 30 we'll when so
| greatly neglected Horses are we'll fed and
/ groomed. corn is worked FIVE or six times aud
we'll manured, wheat il fertilized, but tree! 1t
IL put II into the ground, and left to take OF
itself II it brings forth fruit well, il not 1t is
i cut down.
| In twenty four States in which have travel
| cd have seen no section we'll adapted to
fruit culture of all kinds as the State of Della
ware no soil that made such grateful returns
i for little care and attention 1t has been work.
ed to death, like our blacks and had nothing
/ done for 1t and then turned out.
1t will richly repay putting fifty or even one
hundred dollars on an acre in suitable fertilizers,
i ditching and underdrHining The "eyes of the
world in another than in political sense would
/ then be on the State of Delaware"
| The Duchess pear has been raised not 100 miles
/ from Wilmington two and quarter pounds and
| az smooth as a Tompkins county King apple
| One fourth Of the State of Delaware IL capable
| rightly treated OF raising just such fruit Who
has the courage aud the money to put 1000
loads of barn manure, or its equivalent, on ten
acre field and subsOil to the depth OF l8 inches,
| working in the manure and set it to pear trees.
and then cultivate aud prune them properly ?
One man has set 80 acres to pears and does about
as much for them az for persim
| mon patch. The land must be enriched to pro-
duce rich and luscious fruit Of any kind. 1t is
throwing away money to buy pear trees,or peach
trees, unless the ground il made dry and rich.
One may begin with the tree, manure in the hole
and then supplying manure as the roots extend,
but it is better to manure the entire field and
plant truck between the rows, which will ineure
cultivation. The product will more than pay for
the cultivation and manure come into bearing.
The Duchess ripen ready for picking the last
of September, but may hang later, even far into
October 1t is better to pick them quite hare, an
set them in dark room to color. II the room be
quite cold and dry, they may be held for the mar
ket till into November, when the price is always
high. Two or three dollars basket were real
lied, last year, for this fruit and most that
saw of it was by no means Of superior quality
| The Sheldon ID strong aud vigorous grower,
constant and fruitful beal and is coming large
ly into notice as a standard. 1t rpens later than
the Bartlett and is rich, juicy, and highly tiav'
ored pear, with generous treatment. II will not
bear to be over-ipe, as il becomes mealy anG
rots at the core In its season aud eaten at the
| proper time, il is first rate pear. II comes in
| between the Sickel and the Duchess.
The Beurre DAnjOu does we'll both as dwarf
and as a standard but best standard. Its
form and color make it model Of beauty. II
grows a strong tree as a standard, and will beaI
| In about six years from the bud. tthen becomes
early November but by picking and setting
away in a cool, dark place. it may be kept unit
December. AS dwarf, the fruit needs thinning
The books all say this pear must be market
best.
, | a xt1...t i