The subject of the cracking of the pear, was introduced, and a number of gentlemen present were unanimous in stating that in New England and in other places where the cracking had generally destroyed the White Doyenne, (or Virgalieu,) this variety had entirely escaped when propagated on the quince. The only exception was mentioned by A. Saul, of Newburgh, where it is usually quite fair, but during the present season of extraordinary rains, it had cracked badly, and alike on both quince and pear. E. W. Leavenworth, of Syracuse, said that of the thousands of bearing trees of that place, none had ever cracked except those brought from Long Island; hence the inference that the disease was mainly from a constitutional condition of the stock or variety - most others, however, inclined to the opinion that this disaster results from a peculiarity of the season. The present year it had been more prevalent than usual; A. Saul stated that all his early pears were fine, and the late ones much injured; the first part of the season being favorable, and the latter excessively wet.

Gases were mentioned, however, where the influence of soil had contributed to the same result, in trees dissimilarly affected in the same immediate neighborhood, subjected alike to every peculiarity of the season.

The only instance known where the Seckel had ever cracked, was stated by E. W. Leavenworth, whose trees had in one instance borne badly cracked fruit. Every alternate row in his Seckel orchard had been heavily manured in the spring, the others remaining unmanured, but all were affected alike.

Several expressed the opinion that the Van Mons Leon le Clerc had of late years been less affected with cracking than formerly, and that the over-estimate at first placed upon it had induced many to place it too low. Some were of opinion that it very nearly approached "best," while others considered it as only worthy to be classed with "good," according to the scale of the American Pomological Congress.

The opinion was expressed by a number present, that the cracking of fruit results from the same cause that produces leaf-blight on the tree; and several instances were mentioned where the cracking had commenced first on the lower parts of the tree, where the leaves had been correspondingly attacked.