42 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



Holy Spirit. They understood him and ever after regarded the 

 shamrock as a sacred leaf. 



In olden times Wales was a sort of independent kingdom. 

 The Saxons were always trying to conquer it, and, after many 

 failures, finally did succeed. In one of their battles the Welch 

 took up their position in a leek field. Their leader, St. David, 

 ordered each of the men to put a leek in his cap, to distinguish 

 them in the fight. The Welch won the battle, and somehow 

 thought the leeks had something to do with it. The Welchmen 

 always wore them on St. David's day, in commemoration of the 

 battle, and finally adopted them as a national badge. 



These flowers, some of them pretty, some otherwise, represent 

 but very little to us. Indeed, some of them seem inappropriate 

 and uncouth. But to the nations who wear them so proudly, they 

 represent some chivalric deed of their fore-fathers ; some victory, 

 perhaps, which freed their country from cruel invaders, and are 

 thus made inexpressively dear to their hearts. 



This country has not yet decided as to what will be its national 

 emblem, but let us hope that it will soon decide on some flower, 

 or flowers, which will not only be appropriate, but one which 

 the future sons and daughters of this country will be proud to 

 wear. 



A REMARKABLE SEEDLING PEAR. 



BY JAMES W. JONES, LINCOLN. 



The subject allotted me, I am sorry to say, cannot, by my 

 inexperience, receive the attention it should have, as this is my 

 first attendance at your meetings ; but I shall try and give you 

 the history of one of the most remarkable seedling pears of 

 the day. 



In the early fall of 1834, Mrs. Maria Fleming, with her hus- 

 band, came from the State of Ohio to the State of Illinois, 

 settling in what is now (Jorwin Township, County of Logan, 

 some seven miles west of Lincoln, and brought with her the seed 

 of one pear, which, after getting settled in their new home, she 

 planted in a tea cup. She raised a puncheon in the floor, and 

 placed the cup beneath it, there to stay until spring, when the 

 cup, with its future wonder, was brought to view, and the three 

 seeds were transplanted from their former place to Mother 

 Earth, there to come forth, in due time, to be not only the 

 wonder, but the delight, of all who see them. From the three 

 seeds there were grown three pear trees, of which two proved to 

 be very good pears, somewhat small, but very sweet. The third 

 tree (.the subject of our talk) proved to be the most profitable of 

 the three, the fruit being larger and of a better quality, the tree 

 a more vigorous grower, as time has proven, the hardiest of 

 any pear tree in our knowledge. 



