The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-10-02
THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURIST.

have found letter from my mother,
the first person who had this pear
in this country-and get the follow
in regard to its introduction. Uncle
Jack-that is, Major Jack LeConte OF
Philadelphia, Penn, had numner OF
fruit trees and otner plants put up
for him in the nursery in New York
and, among them was the one men.
toned, labeled" Chinese Sand Pear.
Uncle Jack told me that the proprie-
tor of the nursery told him that the
pear was only fit for preserving, as it
never matnred in this country But
contrary to our expectation, it ma
tured in Liberty county, perfect,
fine and productive pear" :,
Capt. Davis, of Thomas.-As al
ready said, l think this one OF the
most valuable fruits known in Geor-
gia or any other country. What
the gentleman has said in reference
to the original tree is entirely reliable.
There are gentlemen in Thomas who
lived in Liberty, and are acquainted
with this tree. They propagated
their trees from this tree; brought
cuttings from Liberty set them out
in Thomas county, and the trees
have grown up to bearing; the
growth of the tree is wonderful.
heard Mr.. Stark to-day, whom most
of YOU know as an entirely reliable
man, and thoroughly acquainted with
bis business, say he has known tree
to grow as much as ten feet in one
wear, and from a cutting at that. Its
growth is wonderful, and we do not
know when it will quit growing.
The tree has not been known long
enough to tell the age to which 1t
will continue to flourish. know a
gentleman IN Thomas county who
went to tree last year, after it was
in full leaf, jerked off a limb, stuck it
in the ground, and now it has long
rootlets, and is from four to five feet
high. It'll the pear to resist drought.
1t will live, apparently, despite all cir
cumstances.. So far as / know, 1T is
the only pear tree that will propa-
gate from cuttings, and that propa-
gates remarkably well. Our nursery
man there, Mr.. Sanford, stated that
ninety nine out of every hundred OF
his cuttings have lived. In regard to
it's flavor assure you l have never
tasted better pear in my life. Take
pear and bite it, and absolutely the
Juice will stream to your feet, before
YOU can remove it from your lips 1t
is exceedingly juicy and fine favored.
When ripened between blankets, 1t
has rich golden color, tempting in
it's appearance and more tempting IN
it's taste. Many of you will remem-
Der my exhibiting them at Gaines
vile. l suppose they are little lar
ger than my first. n
Mr.. Fleming.-I would simply say
that we are indebted for this pear to
old Major LeConte, the Uncle of the
two gentlemen who are well known
to Geor gians, the two professors, John
and Joseph LeConte. And now |
have done calling it the Chinese Sand
Pear. / shall hereafter call it the
"LeConte Pear; and if you ever
write me for the Chinese Sand Pear,
l shall reply that l have not the Chi
nese Sand Pear, but that / have the
LeConte Pear. The pears mature
sufficiently for you to begin pulling
them the last week in July. They
are not then fit to eat; but put them
on blanket, without allowing them
to touch each other, and then cover
them with another blanket. This
hastens them to maturity, and they
will ripen much quicker than those on
the trees, and you will soon have ripe
pears, and before you will have eaten
the ripe ones, you will have more
ripe on the tree in August, at which
time the second crop begins to come