PERRY PEARS, 311 



The earliest mention of this Pear is by Evelyn in the paragraph 

 given above. There is no history of its origin, but its name and 

 tradition lead to the belief that it is a native of the parish of 

 Taynton. A Red Squash is mentioned by Worlidge, which may 

 very possibly have been the same variety, since the great size and 

 age of many of the trees sufficiently prove its antiquity. It is 

 figured well in the Pomona Here/ordensis, PI. xiii. 



Description. — Fruit : small, turbinate, even, and regular in 

 outline. Skin : dull greenish yellow on the shaded side, and a 

 clear red next the sun, with a few interrupted streaks of deeper 

 colour ; a thin light brown russet runs more or less over the fruit, 

 often in thickly clustered dots, but not sufficiently deep to mar its 

 bright colour. Eye : open, with stiff, permanent, recurved segments, 

 giving it a star like character, full of stamens, set in a shallow 

 depression, and surrounded with plaits. Stalk : three quarters of an 

 inch long, inserted without depression, with sometimes a fleshy lip 

 on one side of it. Flesh : yellowish, abounding in juice of a rich, 

 sweet flavour, brisk, and very astringent, but sometimes very 

 disagreeably harsh and rough. 



The chemical analysis of the juice of the Taynton Squash Pear 

 (season 1880), by Mr. G. H. With, F.R.A.S., F.C.S., Trinity College, 

 Dublin, gave the following results : — 



Density of fresh juice ... ... i'055 



Ditto, after 24 hours' exposure to air ... i'o57 



100 parts of juice by weight, yielded of 



Sugar ... ... ... ... 13*471 



Tannin, Mucilage, Salts, &c. ... ... 3*033 



Water ... ... ... ... 83-496 



The Taynton Squash is the earliest of all the Perry Pears, 

 the tree blossoms the end of April, and the fruit is ripe about the 

 beginning or middle of September. It affords a Perry of the 

 greatest excellence, with a sweet, rich, distinctive flavour, peculiarly 

 its own. The Taynton Squash is among Perry Pears what the 

 Foxwhelp is among Cider fruit, the first and the best. It is 

 always sought after, and commands a high price. 



The trees are hardy. They grow large and lofty with spreading 

 branches. They bear freely. There is not a farm in Taynton 



