Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-03-25

| anyways ODlhluGu Wudt lew got IOk
my own grounds from the French
nurseries, and with the special re.
quest that they should be on thai
stock. The Orleans variety, though
recommended to be quite equal to
this sort, have never used.
How long the dwarf pear trees
have, may yet live, do not know
of course; but l do know that the
oldest one, good bearing tree yet,
variety Doyenne Boussock, was by
me imported from Anglers, France,
in the spring of 1856, and was then
called three years old, and is now of
course aged twenty-five years. /
know Furthermore, that the youngest
1 have are not less than twelve years
old, with the exception of few l
imported for myself last spring.
Hence / have all ages fruiting, be-
tween twelve and twenty-five years,
and on ounce roots.
AS to the kind of ounce to be
used for stocks, l shall for the pres
ent add the testimony of the follow
ing distinguished authorities, and l
might name many more If required:
In discussion on this subject by
the Massachusetts State Horticultu-
raj Society last year, Hon. Marshall
P. Wilder remarked: II have had
a great deal of experience with
dwarf pear trees during the last forty
years, and am strongly in favor of
them on account of their early bear
ing. Two-thirds Of my collection
were originally on ounce roots, and
by using this stock l was enabled I,
not only to test many new varieties
in time less than would have been
required with standards, but to fur
nish mpself with fruit in very few
years. Viewed in this light, dwarfs
are not only exceedingly useful to
the amateur and experimenter with
fruits, but a great blessing to the
family"
In Mr.. Barry's Fruit Garders pa
ges I2S and 100, will be found his
views on this subject briefly as fol-
lows:
"The very general lack Of inform
alton in this country on the subject
of ounce stocks for pears, has given
rise to great many misapprehen-
sions and erroneous statements In re-
gard to them, both by. horticultural
writers and others. Al first it was
said that the stocks used by the
French and imported by nurserymen
here, where the Portugal. Again it
was discovered they were nothing
more than the common apple ounce,
consequently, multitude of the APP
pie ounces have been worked, and
sent out as dwarf pears. The slow and
feeble growth of this variety units
| it entirely for a stock for the pear,
and only very few varieties will
form union with it that will last
over three or four years. Such trees
cannot fail to give general dissatis-
faction, and, among people who
know no better, create a prejudice
against ounce stocks in general.
Indeed this Is the cause why SO
much has been said about pears on.
ounce being short lived.
"The truth is, that the varieties
used i'm France are neither the apple
nor the Portugal ounce, but vigor-
GUS varieties that have been origi-
mated there, and found to answer
this purpose particularly well. The
great requisite for ounce stock for
the pear, is a free, vigorous and rap
Id growth. A variety originated at
the town of Anglers in France, and
extensively used, propagated and
sold there as the Anglers ounce, has
proved to be excellent stock. 1t Is
very rapid vigorous grower, making
strong shoots three feet long in one
season. 1t has large foliage, resem-
bling the Portugal. There is anoth-
err variety with smaller leaves, but
of free, vigorous growth too, almost
exclusively cultivated in some dis
tricts. Several extensive nursery
men at Orleans, Paris and elsewhere
consider 1t superior to the broad
leaved," (Angers) land especially
for very vigorous growing sorts. 1t
| Is known as the Paris or Fontenay
Ounce.
| had intended to refer to some
other authorities, but find 1t Is going
to extend this communication beyond
proper limits.
/ will simply add to what Mr..
Barry says about the "fecble;' growth
of the common apple ounce, that In
this country the roots are very ten
Il II Il