THE following letter was received a short time after our visit at Mr. Leighton's place, which gives some further description about Mr. Leighton's orchard:

Editor Horticulturist: After your departure this afternoon, it occurred to me that in our hasty walk through my orchard that some, or at least one variety was overlooked, and that one was the Seckel. It grows much larger here, perhaps, than in any other locality on the Atlantic Coast, and has proved itself healthy as a standard many years with my neighbors, and so far with me both as standard and dwarf, is vigorous.

I think I was imprudent in speaking so highly of Clapp's Favorite, for I have fruited it only two years as dwarf, and not at all as standard, and do not know when it will come in as standard.

The impression south of me is somewhat unfavorable as to its success, and I would not like to mislead on my slight experience.

I also forgot to speak of the White Doyenne (known thirty years ago as Virgalieu in New York), has fruited three years without producing a single cracked specimen.

A pear tree near my barns, and which I remarked, was described in The Horticulturist, is Poire de I'Assomption; but I was mistaken, it is described in Tilton's Journal of Horticulture, and the pear trees shown you as Souvenin du Congress. I refer you to vol. 24, No. 278, page 235, Horticulturist.

I enclose a short article which I wrote a year ago for the Southern Planter and Farmer, in answer to the numerous questions asked about my method of raising such large pears:

I plant my dwarf trees twelve and a half feet apart each way (perhaps 12 1/2 by 14 feet would be better for Duchesse d'Angouleme), digging my holes about three and a half feet square and three feet deep. My land is overlaid with stiff blue clay from three to seven feet in depth, under which is sand.

In order to make underdrainage perfect, I bore with a post auger a hole from the center of the three feet hole down to the sand, and fill said auger hole with oyster shells, adding about a bushel in the bottom of large hole. I then add about six inches of finely cut brush (hard wood), then fill up the holes with top soil mixed with a compost of muck, woods earth and lime - say six parts of the first, five of the second, and one of the latter. Should the muck be fresh I would add one-half part of salt. I regard the salt as indispensable. There is much of truth in that old Scotch saying, that "muck is the mother of the meal chest."

I find the above compost excellent for clover as well as pears.

In planting my trees I endeavor to have the bunch at the joining of the pear with the quince about two inches below the level of the ground.

No crops are allowed among my pear trees excepting occasionally the black pea, which I plant as a fertilizer; and even when I plant these, I adopt the clean culture system until the first of June.

Few persons arc aware of the sensitiveness of the pear tree, of its prompt response to generous treatment, or its pining at neglect.

Of all the pear food robbers, I place strawberries at the head of the list.

Persons who have not the courage and disposition to spare the land and keep it thoroughly cultivated, should not embark in the business of pear culture, for loss and disappointment only await them.

I have avoided barn-yard manure among my trees, either in planting or after culture.

Finding the trees so healthy and vigorous under the treatment of the compost first named, that I shall not make any change excepting when the trees come into full bearing, when I shall add bone and ashes for fruit food.

In short, the following are requisites for successful pear culture in Eastern Virginia:

1st. Perfect drainage.

2d. Stiflest clay soil.

3d. Proper planting of the trees.

4th. Clean culture.

5th. Healthy trees (which can be had of responsible nurserymen direct, without the intervention of an agent, and imparting the satisfaction of having every tree true to name).

6th. Timely supply of proper food for growth of both wood and fruit.

7th. Determination, patience, and sufficient of the sacrificing spirit to remove all fruit until the tree has sufficient wood to sustain it without checking the wood growth.

8th. Judicious pruning (better none than too much).

9th. Careful picking, packing, and handling of the packages.

10th. The right kind of an agent to dispose of them.

Norfolk, Va. G. F. B. Leighton.