The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-10-15
The LeCOnte Pear.

| From the Southern Farmer s monthly
So many inquiries continue to flow
in about this pear that it would seem
necessary to employ correspondent
to perpetually repeat its history and
characteristics. If everybody sub.
scribed for this magazine, we would
endeavor to write one exhaustive ar
ticle on the subject, but now we
should have to republish said article
about every two months, and that
would be impracticable. Ever ready,
however, to accommodate all inqui.
ries to the best of our ability, we
proceed to repeat, briefly, some OF
the things heretofore said about this
famous pear.
Its origin is not known, but under
stood to bea cross between the old
Chinese sand IA worthless fruit) and
some good pear, which gave the La
Conte the extraordinary vigor and
fruitfulness OF the Chinese sand, and
the juicy excellence Of the good pear.
The parent tree is in Liberty county,
Georgia, sent there forty years ago
by Major LeConte (now dead), and
is the greatest bearing pear tree
known, having borne thirty-nine
bushels Of pears at a single crop. 1t
has no "otf years." but continues to
bear the same heavy crops every year;
has shown no disease, blight, or in
sect destroyer up to this date. II
received its name from Major Le-
Conte.
During the civil war, the breaking
up OF society in Liberty county dis
tributed many OF its most intelligent
and useful citizens among the south
ern counties Of Georgia, bordering
upon the Florida line, and some OF
those citizens took with them to
Thomas county cuttings of the parent
tree, then called Chinese sand pear.
The cuttings grew rapidly, produced
fruit in three or four years, and at
tracted the attention of the horticul-
tural society OF that county. That
society gave it the name of the in
PRODUCER, recommended it to fruit.
growers, and it soon acquired wide
reputation. Small orders for the
young trees have been filled tor many
sections in the South, and some have
ordered largely, but the supply has
been limited and many of them not
filed. Thomas county is the chief
propagating locality up to this time,
and she will be able to supply be-
tween five thousand and eight thou
sand. plants this fall. The plants sell
readily at 81 each, one year old from
the cutting, and are from one to ten
feet in height, according to soil and
management. They often grow fifteen
feet high in a single season. After
the roots are formed the young plants
are exceedingly hardy; may be kept
out of the ground for considerable
time, itkept damp, and grow readily
with great vigor, on almost all kinds
OF soil, but luxuriate in deep, rich
sandy loam.
The plants (rooted) may be put out
from October to March, and the cut.
tings from August to March. There
is no certainty about roofing the cut
tings-no management, science or
experience have yet discovered the
secret OF their hckleness. The most
careless management has sometimes
been successful side by side with ut.
ter failure on the part of science and
experience. They remind us OF the
old Negroes explanation of his absent
masters coming: "If he come, he no
come; it he no come, he come"
The fruit of this pear is bell shaped,
OF rich creamy, yellow color when
ripe, very smooth and fine looking,
and one Of the best pears we have tor