296 



SYSTEM A TIC POMOLOGY 



dwarfs. On either stock, the tree makes a beautiful and sym- 

 metrical pyramid, and comes in bearing early and bears regu- 

 larly. The original tree of Duchesse d'Angouleme was a wild- 

 ing growing in a garden near Angers, France. It was intro- 

 duced about 1812. 



Tree vigorous, upright, becoming spreading, dense-topped, slow-growing, 

 productive. Fruit ripe October-November; large, often very large, 3% 

 inches long, 2^4 inches wide, oblong -pyriform with irregular and uneven 

 surface and with sides often unequal; stem II/2 inches long, very thick, 

 curved; cavity acute, deep, furrowed, irregular, often lipped; calyx partly 

 open, small; lobes short, narrow, acute; basin medium to deep, abrupt, 

 furrowed and uneven, often corrugated; skin thick, granular, roughened 

 with russet ; color dull yellow, streaked, spotted and netted with dull russet ; 

 dots numerous, russet, conspicuous; flesh white, firm, melting, tender, 

 granular, juicy, sweet, rich; quality good to very good; core closed, with 

 clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds small, narrow, 

 flat, acute, often abortive. 



458. Pitmaston (Fig. 118). — In appearance, the pears are un- 

 surpassed. On warm soils or in warm sea- 

 sons, the flavor is choicely good, but in cold 

 soils and seasons, the flavor is often austere 

 or even acid and astringent. The subacid 

 flavor makes this one of the very best pears 

 for culinary purposes. The fruits keep and 

 ship well. The trees have fewer faults than 

 those of most of the standard varieties. They 

 are hardy, vigorous, fairly immune to blight, 

 and while but moderately productive, bear 

 annually, and the large size of the fruits 

 make them high jnelders. Pitmaston was 

 raised by John Williams, Pitmaston, Eng- 

 land, in 1841 ; it reached America about 1870. 



Tree large, vigorous, spreading, dense-topped. Fruit ripe in October ; 

 large, 3^/4 inches long, 2^2 inches wide, oblong-pyriform, symmetrical; 

 stem 1 inch long, thick, often curved; cavity very shallow and very narrow 

 or lacking, the flesh drawn up in a wrinkled fold around the base of the 

 stem, often lipped; calyx closed, large; lobes long, broad, acute; basin 

 shallow, obtuse, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thin, granular, smooth, tender, 

 dull; color pale lemon-yellow, dotted and patched with light russet, without 

 blush; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh tinged with yellow, 

 firm, somewhat granular, melting, buttery, very juicy, piquant and vinous; 



Fig. 118. Pitmas 

 ton. 



