The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-13
THE PEAR AND THE GRAPE,
AS DiscusSed by The Ohio
horticultural Society.

N. Dinner. of Dayton, intro iuced the discus
sion on the Pear by short talk. He said that
he bad been an extensive pear grower for more
than thirty years, and had planted great many
varieties. If he were plsnting now he would
set but few kinds and those OF the late fall and
winter varieties. Pears were so abundant last
seaso on in Montgomery county that Bartletts
sold in the Dayton arkets at 80 cents bushel.
and some varieties were allowed to rot in the
orchard for want of a market. while the Law
renee and other varieties which could be held
until late in the season brought much better
prices. The Lawrence has paid him better to
the tree than any other kind he ever raised 1t
is of good quality, always bears large crops of
fine fruit, and never blights If he were plant
ing pear orchard of 10OJ trees. at least 500 of
them would be Lawrence OF the other 500, he
would have many Keiffers and few Bartletts,
The Keiffer does we'll and will alway sell.
Mr.. Ford said Keiffer pear trees are quite liza
BILE to overbear, They frequently bring bet
ter price than the Bartlett. 1t is one of the
best Tor canning purposes, letalnIng the pear
h.vor Oh better than any other variety Inc
Lawrence does not succeed well v ith MIR. Dean
while he is much pleased with his success with
the Keiffer While Mr.. rowbridge does not
think the perfect pear has yet been introduced
he believes that the Lawrence comes nearest TO
the ideal for many sections. 1t does not big Mt
much
N III. Albaugh said that the Keiffer takes
the place among pears that the Ben Davis does
among apples He had lately planted an or
chard of 1000 trees. and they are all keiners.
Speaking of the hardness OF different varieties
B. f. Albaugh said that of 20 trees planted Il
years ago. but five rem 4ined. and they are all
Flemish Beauty 1t is a September pear OF
fine quality, but not long keeper. He recon-
mended the use of ashes to prevent blight. he
had used a heavy clay soil, thoroughly under
drained, for pear orchard, with good success.
Mr.. Clements, commission merchant OF
Cleveland, said that he received 1900 bushels oil
Keiffer pears from New Jersey last fall. AL
though they were shipped in bulk, they came
in good shape. They made good appearance
and sold fairly well, but he did not remember
of ever selling the second barrel to the same
person The American people will sometimes
buy a thing for show. Nothing in the pear line
sells like the Bartlett.
MIR. Albaugh said that those Keiffers were
rot properly handled. They are not good
dessert pear taken just as they are picked from
the tree, but hen properly handled in the rip
enlng process they are good even to eat out el
hand, He wants to grow pear that he car
ship 200 or $40 miles and get good return; ano
the fact that they were shipped from New Jer-
sey to Ohio in bulk and did not suffer mater
tally. goes far to prove that the keiffer is the
pear for distant market. 1t is peculiarly fitted
for a southern cline. Georgia grown ones are
large and good and he had seen them from Cal
ifornia that woull weigh two pounds each
Mir, Farnsworth considers them very good
for canning and culinary purposts, but poor
eating " hen raw. He has a row of them aloD
the highway, and they prove perfect safe
guard to his orchard. HI frequently finds them
scatter ed along the road with a single bite
taken from them The Bartlett. Flemish
Beauty, Powell and Lawrence give him the
most profit He advises the plantin g OF yarle-
ties which have an acid nature for culinary
purposes, and those that will keep we'll.
In his paper on the perfect grape. George w
| Campbell said that he had been trying for 81
| wears to find it, but without success He ha;
| originated and grown many new seedlings
some of which have some merit He mas alsC
| grown nearly every variety, ard some seen
| almost perfect, but each lacks something. Tht
| circumstances surrounding the growth OF th'
| vine may improve or mar the qualities OF th'
| fruit A grape that one year may seem per
feet may be very inferior the next. The per
| feet grape SnOulQ nave Soou stiohs' NisoiON
and healthy yine The cluster should be strong
and compact. The berries should be of ever
size. with fine, sweet. delicious flavor without
muskiness, W ith just acid enough to be pleasant
| to the taste lie named the Witt as coming
nearest to perfection Of any of our native
grapes 1t bears early and abuudantly. Al
though no grape does equally well in all sec
tions he believes that nearly perfect grapes WI
ultimately be produced for various sections
Among the standard. tried varieties which ar'
not found materially wanting he mentions tn
| Delaware, Concord, and Catawba. Moore'
Early. Brighton. Jefferson and Empire S5Gt
are all good ones. although the latter does no
give satisfaction IN some sections The muei
praised Niagara is good white grape wh'cf
has the good quality of improving in flavor b!
hanging upon the vine after it is ripe; but thu
vine is tender and liable to winter kill. TIT
| woodruff Red is a new grape of much promise
1t has good shipping qualities and. like th
| NIAGARA, grows better the longer it hangs upoI
the vines, Mr. Albaugh claimed that one
the chief requisites of the coming grape mus
be good shipping qualities