This section is from "The Horticulturist, And Journal Of Rural Art And Rural Taste", by P. Barry, A. J. Downing, J. Jay Smith, Peter B. Mead, F. W. Woodward, Henry T. Williams. Also available from Amazon: Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste.
C. M. Hovey, while he regarded the Winter Nelis as best to eat, found the Winkfleld best to sell - and although not of high quality, was very productive and showy - the tree was beautiful and ornamental - he had known the Winkfield to sell for 75 cents per dozen, and the Glout Morceau for three dollars per dozen. P. Barry would plant the Winkfield in a selection of a dozen sorts., and valued it highly - the Glout Morceau had disappointed some cultivators in Western Hew-York - it was not the best grower, and did not always mature well. Wm. Reid and others thought it a good grower.
The third best winter pear was asked for, and the Vicar of Winkfield was agreed to stand next to Winter Nelis and Glout Morceau.
C. M. Hovey stated that several Flemish pears were apt to have small and worthless fruit among them, among which he named Spoelberg, Wur-temberg, Marie Louise and Passe Col mar - he knew of no American pears liable to this defect. P. Barry cited the Stevens' Genesee, and Dearborn's Seedling, as being similarly defective.
M. Kelly, of Cincinnati, had not found the American pears hardier than the European - in a locality where the tree is strongly liable to injury.
CM. Hovey found but few American pears tender, and but few that did well on quince stocks - indeed, very few of any origin did well on quince - but he did not know the same proportion of American as of European for this mode of culture.
CM. Hovey stated that Dearborn's Seedling failed on the quince after a few years - that he should dig up his trees, as they had become an eye sore. T. C. Maxwell had large trees of the Dearborn's Seedling, which did well on quince. Wm. Reid knew trees of the Andrews ten feet high, which grew and did well. These are both American seedlings.
P. Barry thought more experience was needed on this subject - the stacks at first used here were not of good quality - and he thought if the trees were placed in good soil, properly manured, pruned, and not allowed to overbear, that many would succeed well, which would otherwise fail.
The best early pear being called for, CM. Hovey and P. Barry named the Doyenne d'ete - Wm. Reid recommended the Madeleine as earlier - but it was not found so at Boston and Rochester., where the Madeleine was regarded as second best.
The two best market cherries being asked for, early and late, most agreed in recommending the Early Purple Guigne and Downer. P. Barry named the Early Purple Guigne and Belle Magnifique. Wm. Reid named the Mayduke as early. The Sweet Montmorency was regarded by C M. Hovey as a good late sweet cherry. P. Barry thought it would not sell, when C M. Hovey stated that he had known it to sell for fifty cents per quart.
I have made a great discovery in ripening this pear, and desire to chronicle the event. For years I have grown in considerable quantities the Vicar, and never, until the present season, have I succeeded in ripening them so that they were more than barely edible, and such has been the experience of our neighborhood.
 
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