Want of leisure mast be my apology, Mr. Editor, for not sooner responding to your request for more "Notes." The past has been an unfavorable season for testing new varieties, it having been remarkably cool and backward, with a larger proportion of moist weather than usual. All fruits were much later in ripening than ordinarily, and many sorts did not attain their best flavor.

Pears made an enormous growth, and have been generally free from disease and the attacks of insects. The severity of the winter of 1854-5, combined with the cool and moist summer, appeared to have destroyed so many of the latter, that it was quite an uncommon occurrence to find enough of them to cause any serious injury.

The blight has not prevailed to any great extent, that I have observed, having . seen but few thus destroyed by it, except in one instance where two rows of Glout Morceau (in the nursery) became affected, and nearly every tree for some distance was destroyed. This variety is more liable to the disease than any other that I have tried, except Golmar d'Aremberg, and it is rarely that a tree, which has been attacked by it, can be saved.

Several of the varieties noticed by me in a former article, as then fruiting for the first time, have, this season, proved materially different, some of them being much finer than last season, among these are -

Ananas D'Ete

Ananas D'Ete, larger than before; more inclining to an oval form, and much superior in quality. It is a beautiful pear; not very fine grained, but melting and juicy. "Very good;" ripe about the middle of September.

Beurre Goubault

Beurre Goubault was not as good as last year, being rather watery. I do not think that it will prove to be of much value. Good; middle or last of September.

Bezi De Montigny

Bezi De Montigny, rather larger than usual, and " good;" first of November.

Doyenne D'Ete

Doyenne D'Ete, although small, is "very good;" not so large or so highly colored, however, as I had been led to believe; beginning of August.

Dearborn's Seedling

Dearborn's Seedling is too small, and too apt to be insipid to be entitled to much consideration. I scarcely think it worth cultivating.

Dumortier

Dumortier was, this season, of nearly medium size, and really "good;" beginning of November.

Easter Buerre

Easter Buerre commenced ripening in November, with most of our winter pears. A few specimens are, however, still in tolerable preservation, but will not probably last beyond the middle of January. I have yet seen no indications of its being "difficult to ripen".

Glout Morceau

Glout Morceau is, in appearance, very fine this year, but I have not yet discovered an eatable specimen. They are without flavor, and inclined to decay.

Gray Doyenne

Gray Doyenne, not so good as it should be, from what cause I cannot tell. Le Cure, very large, and ripe in November; but entirely destitute of flavor, and quite coarse.

Oswego Beurre

Oswego Beurre is a very handsome russet pear; but I have, so far, found it quite acid and disagreeable; middle of November.

Stevens's Genesee

Stevens's Genesee, although large and handsome, did not ripen well, and some specimens rotted at the core. I have heard from several quarters that it has, for two or three seasons past, been much affected with this same rotting. If it should continue to do so, it will soon lose its high reputation.

Seckel

Seckel, on pear stock, was very small, and not so high flavored as usual. On quince, very large and very fine.

St. Michael Archangel

St. Michael Archangel does not come up to its reputation. It is, so far, quite indifferent; middle of November.

Suzette De Bavay

Suzette De Bavay has done better than usual. Some of the specimens were of nearly medium size, and although rather coarse, juicy, sweet, and good; but very many are so small as to be quite worthless. It has been in eating since about the first of December, and will apparently keep for some time yet.

The American Holly

The American Holly has been, this season, more severely affected with the spotting and cracking to which it is so liable at the eastward, than I have ever known it. Fine specimens were really scarce, almost all being more or less injured. A large quantity of fruit has been utterly destroyed; much that, when gathered, appeared nearly sound, falling a prey to the bitter rot when approaching the period of maturity.

Winter Nelis

Winter Nelis was finer than I ever before saw it; quite large, and well colored. It was ripe in November, and did not keep long.

Among the varieties, which have fruited with us the past season for the first time, were the following: -

Belle Gaennaise

A medium-sized, dull, green fruit; sweet, but rather coarse and indifferent. Middle of November.

Bezi D'Esperen

Bather large; irregularly formed; dull greenish-yellow, juicy and sweet; but wanting flavor. Last of October.

Beurre De Capiaumont

Small, russeted, melting, subacid, and very good. Last of October.

Beurre Superfin

Large, dull yellow, melting, juicy, subacid, and very good. First of October. This fruited once before, but being blown off the tree, did not mature. It is evidently a fine pear.

Bonne Des Zees

A large, dull-looking fruit, and wanting in flavor and juice. Middle of November. A tremendous bearer; but falls far below its eastern reputation.

Gushing

Small and worthless.

Duchesse De Berri

Small, a little coarse-grained, melting, very juicy, sweet, and rich. Very good. Middle of September. Duchesse de Mars. A rather large, dull green, disagreeable-looking fruit; a little coarse-grained, bat melting, juicy, and sweet. Good. Middle of November. These specimens were from a young tree on pear stock.