IN your notes on the pear, Mr. Williams, in the October number of The Horticulturist, you ask pear culturists for the names of the pears which proved to be the best and most remunerative to the planter, as well as the methods of cultivation resorted to, to obtain the best results. As I come under the head of pear culturists, I will try to detail our experience, and the results, with the names and descriptions of the sorts which prove the best for profitable planting, so that any one who wishes to know our paying market sorts can do so.

The soil in which the orchard is planted, is a clay loam, the clayey nature being rather a predominant feature, although of not so hard or stiff a texture as to materially interfere with the cultivation. It lies rather level, but most parts have a gradual descent, giving it a natural drainage. The trees in that part of the orchard which had no drainage, either natural or artificial, did only middling well for some time, owing to an excess of moisture ; but, since we thoroughly drained the whole piece, the trees have grown surprisingly, producing good crops and thoroughly ripening a large amount of wood annually. So much for drainage. The trees now present a really fine appearance, rivalling almost all orchards for several miles around, the good growth and productiveness of the trees being due to careful attention, thorough and regular cultivation, judicious pruning, etc.

The trees were planted in the ordinary way, by stirring the ground deeply with a heavy, two-horse plow, harrowing properly, digging good sized holes, planting carefully, and using extra care to have the soil made firm around the trees, the latter a very important point.

In reference to the cultivation: We plowed the orchard deeply every spring, and then planted the different vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peas, beans and the different kinds of roots, in the orchard among the trees, manuring as heavily, and cultivating as deeply and thoroughly as if the vegetables were planted in a separate piece. And we attribute, in a great measure, the success of our plantation to care in these particulars.

The pruning was not done by any set rule ; but we were guided in such matters by common sense; for, as almost every different variety of our very long list of pears has an independent growth or shape of its own, two varieties very seldom being alike, we tried to give each one its own natural shape, as near as we could do so without impairing the growth, productiveness or shape of the tree. Our idea was to have a moderately full and compactly formed head, giving the sun and air free access to the middle and through the tree.

Of varieties we have many; but I only intend to give those which, after a good trial, have proved a success, reserving my opinion on the others until we have seen their fruiting and tasted their fruit for two or three seasons, at least, as I consider that length of time necessary to return a true verdict on the merits or demerits of the variety or varieties under consideration.

The varieties which succeeded well with us this year were, Bartlett, which does well almost everywhere, Flemish Beauty, Duchess D'Angouleme, Osborne, Belle Lucrative, Seckel, Lawrence, etc. I might mention a few others, but will reserve my opinion upon them until I see how they carry themselves another year.

Chesapeake City, Md. D. Z. Evans, Jr.