294 PYRl'S COMMUNIS. 



it is next to the true srrvii'c. (I'yrus sorlxis,) tlu; best wood lliat cuii br rmploycd 

 ill \voo(l-cimr;iviM^', for wliirli purpose. Iiowever, it is far inferior to that of the 

 box. ^'et. it is allowed to b' very baid and lioinogcncoiis, easy to cut, and when 

 j)erfeetly dry. is not liable either t(t crack or warp. For tiic coarser kinds of 

 eiiirraviui.'. such as large plans or diagrams, show-bills, &c., it serves a very good 

 purpose. W hrn it can be obtained, in I'iUrope, it is mucli used by turners and 

 j)atiern-niakers: also for joiners' tools; and, as it can readily be stained, it is 

 sonietiiues made into various articles, dyed ])laek, in imitation of el)ony. /,s 

 fuel, the wood of this tree' is excellent, producing a vivid and durable llame, 

 accompanied by an intense h'cvit. According to Withering, the loaves afford a yel- 

 low dye, and may be emj)loyed to impart a greenish shade to blue cloths. Hut 

 the most important uses of the pear-tree, arc tho.so whieh arise from its fruit. 

 \\ hen ripe, it is employed at the table as a dessert, either raw, slewed, or pre- 

 served in syrup, and occasionally it is used in tarts, in most of the coimtries 

 where it grows, this fruit is very generally dried in ovens, or in the sun, in which 

 state, when stewed, it is excellent, either as a substitute for puddiuiis and jiies, 

 or as forming part of the dessert. In the " iXouveau Cours d'Agnculture,'' j)ub- 

 lished in 1809, it is stated that pears, in France, are dried two ways, one, for 

 family use, by putting them into an oven, without being pared, after the bread is 

 withdrawn, either on bricks, or on raised frames of tin or boards. They are put 

 in two, three, and even four times, according to their size, and to the degree of 

 heat contained in the oven. The only things necessary to be observed, are, to 

 see that the oven is not so hot as to bi n-n the pears, and tliat they are not left in 

 so long as to become liard. Melting sugary pears, of a medium size, are the best 

 for this purpose; and when properly prepared, they may be kept in bags, in a 

 dry place, for several years. The second mode, is that used for preparing the 

 fruit sold in boxes, at the shops; and for this purpose, rather small pears are con- 

 sidered the best. They must be gathered before they are quite ripe, and care 

 taken to preserve their stems. They are then parboiled in a very little water, 

 peeled, and placed on dishes, with the stems upwards. In this state, a kind of 

 syrup runs from them, which must be carefully poured off, and set aside. They 

 are next placed on raised frames, and put into an oven, after the bread has been 

 withdrawn, or heated to a similar degree, and left there twelve hours ; after 

 which they are taken out and steeped in syrup, sweetened with sugar, to which 

 there have been added a little cinnamon, mace, and a small quantity of the best 

 brandy. The pears, when taken out of the syrup, are again placed in the oven, 

 which should not be made quite so hot as it was the first time. The operations 

 of alternately steeping and drying are repeated three times, and are finished by 

 putting the pears, for the fourth time, into the oven, and leaving them there till 

 they are quite dry ; when, if they have been properly treated, they will be of a 

 clear, pale-brown, with fine translucent flesh. They are then arranged in boxes, 

 garnished with white paper, and kept in dry places, or oflfered for sale. They 

 will remain good, in this state, for three years, but are considered best the first 

 year.=* Another purpose to which the pear is applied, is for making perry. It 

 is extensively cultivated for this object in various parts of Britain, France, and 

 Germany, where the trees are sometimes planted in rows eighteen or twenty 

 yards apart, in order to admit a free access of light and air. Perry is made in 

 the same manner as cider. The pears should be gathered before they begin to 

 fall, and should be ground as soon after as possible. Should the perry not be 

 sufficiently clear, when racked off, it may be fined in the usual manner of clari- 

 fying cider, by isinglass, in the proportion of about half an ounce to a barrel. 

 The kinds of pears used for making this liquor in Herefordshire, are such as have 



* See Nouv. Cours d'Agr., xii., p. 146, al.-.o Loudon's Arboretum, ii., p. 8S5. 



