Pears

In all parts of the world the pear seems to do best on high and dry ground with plenty of air movement and air drainage.

The college grounds are not naturally pear soil, and a large portion of the Iowa drift soil is not well suited to the pear. But on the prairie ridges, and the bluffs adjacent to our streams, the Russian pears are proving true ironclads, and coming early into bearing. Some of the varieties are fair in size and quality for dessert, but most of the eastern ironclads are best for culinary use.

Pear Blight Again

With reference to my state-ment that the injury to a blighted pear tree consisted in the butyric fermentation of the starch in the bark, Prof. J. C. Arthur has kindly called my attention to his own investigations, the results of which he states as follows : " The chemical changes induced by the bacteria in the plant tissues are in part the formation of a gum and disengagement of carbon dioxide, but not of alcohol, butyric acid or any of this series of compounds, at least to any important extent; and lastly that the change is not putrefactive or alcoholic, but in all probability viscous." - A. B. Seymour.

The Pear In Oregon And Washington

Pear trees have been cultivated in these states for forty years, but until the last few years there has been no market. The trees have been much neglected and allowed to overbear. The bud development is so stimulated by the climatic conditions that the trees begin to bear when two or three years old. The usual result follows: By the time the trees ought to be at their best, they look old and decrepit. The few trees observed that had been fairly treated looked healthy and bid fair to be serviceable for many years to come. Some of the fruit shown me was as fair and as finely developed as the best California specimens, while the flavor and quality were better. Pear culture here seems to have a future before it.

Pears East And West

D. B. Wier, in the Peta-luma (California), Courier, calls attention to Mr. Powell's pear notes in the June American Garden, (p. 331), and says that California growers cannot make the pear more profitable than Mr. Powell does. Our Pacific friends are behind in the use of arsenical and copper sprays. This is largely because they have not needed to use them, but they must introduce them soon or suffer. Mr. Wier declares eastern pears are *' better in quality than it is possible for us to grow here. We can only beat them in beauty and size, and possibly not even these, when all of the enemies to the east are imported here".

Pennsylvania Road Suggestions

The Pennsylvania State Board of Agriculture, in session at Bethlehem recently, spent one day discussing the matter of getting better roads, and finally voted suggestions for road legislation as follows :

First

Privilege of working out road taxes to be repealed.

Second

Supervisors to employ labor where best value can be obtained, preference to be given to home labor.

Third

That all commodities of equal value shall be taxed at the same rate as real estate.

Fourth

That some efficient head in each county shall be appointed to prepare plans and supervise the work of road building.