The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-10-18
Pears or Apples.
(Continued from page 3D. j.

POS ~
1t is doubtful If there are today as
many bearing trees of the excellent
kinds of pears, like Bartlett, Seckel,
Howell, Duchess, Winter Nelis, etc.
as there were ten years ago.. rhe
quotations of pears in our large CT
ties in the two months in which they
are most abundant if from California.
and good varieties, range nearly as
high for a 40fb box, as apples bring
in a 160fb barrel. At the same time
New York state n Michigan pears
are quoted in barrels at figures not
much above those of apples-and
think that the barrel of apples is in
this case the better bargain.
But the demand for late pears is
almost wholly unmet, except with
cold storage lots. The supply of line
looking delicious winter pears has
been so exceeding small, that no reg
ular market demand has been crea--
ed. There have been no winter pears
grown, practically. There have been
few late pears that succeeded-almos-
none after Winter Nelis; and hat
has never been much planted east
of California. But we can do bette.
excellent kinds that will keep about
as long as apples. | think there is
good encouragement TO grow late
keeping pears. We can grow pears
in this region of the greatest excel
lence that will in their natural order
of ~ripening fill a season of five
months, or longer, and with some
help from cold storage will extend
that season to eve or eight months.
We shall not grow the same quality
of pears as the old states. We shall
grow a better, and a handsOmer. We
shall not grow the same as CalifOr-
mia. We shall grow them equally ham
some and of far better quality. We
shall not pack them roughly in bar
reIs as the eastern man does, but We
shall pack in 40tb boxes, all wrapped
in white paper. in best modern style.
and we shall sell the best and highest
priced pears known in the markets
of the world.
Our people are awaking to the i'm
portance of apple orchards, and some
are planting extensively. The ue@
people who come here all seem to in
tend to plant apples. This is all right,
but why are pears neglected? AS
many tons of pears as of apples can
be grown on an acre of land. The ton
of pears is worth from two to five
times as much net money as the ten |
of apples, if the right kinds are
grown, and reasonable care used in
handling. The pears cost no more to
produce than the apples. They do re-
quire more care in handling. But will
not the larger values pay for this@
Men often say to me: Pears are
too short lived; l want something
that will keep"
But our Bartlett pears keep long
enough to be marketed in all the
great cities of the East, and go 70
London and other European capitals
whole trainloads are so handled
from California every yea WAY
shall not we? Our Bartlett pears
keep as long, and are gathered about
the same time as our Jonathan APP
pies. The late ripening pears can be
handled as independently as the late
apples.
Bartlett pears from California have
been quoted at $500 a box Of 40ib
in Chicago for the first half of Octo-
Der. They are kept in cold storage.
This is a common price in Other
years. We can grow plenty of pears
here, far better than the Bartlett III
quality, that would be in their natu-
raj season at this time. These prices
would net the Roswell grower five
to six cents a pound. How does this
compare with the price of apples?
The Bartlett is our 0 popular
pear. It is best known. 1t colors well.
1t does not rot at the core. so it does
not fool the dealer or the consumer.
as some other handsome pears do. Out
side of the Kieffer there are more
Bartlett trees planted in the United
States than of all other kinds. BIt
it ripens in warm weather. while
peaches and other summer fruits are
abundant and low priced. If it ripen-
ed three months later, it would have
twice it's present commercial value.
There are two seedlings from it tina.
do ripen later-the most important
one-and probably the most impore-
ant pear introduced for fifty years
is called the Winter Bartlett. 1t orig
mated in Oregon 25 years ago, and
has been slowly disseminated on The
Pacific coast. / have e it three
years, and have fruited it this year.