878 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART IIT. 
being mentioned by Turner, Gerard, Parkinson, and other early British 
writers on botany and gardening. For its culture as a fruit tree, we refer 
to the Encyclopedia of Gardening, edit. 1835. As an ornamental tree, 
it well deserves a place in every collection, from the tortuous fantastic 
appearance of its branches, its large white flowers, its large leaves, and 
the rich-looking persistent calyxes which accompany its fruit. 
Varieties. De Candolle gives the following forms of this species, which may 
be considered as natural varieties : — 
* M.g. 1 sylvéstris Mill. Dict., No. 1. — Spiny. Fruit small. It loses its 
spines in a state of cultivation. 
¥ M.g. 2 stricta Dec., Ait. Hort. Kew., ii. p. 172., Dod. Pempt., 801. — 
Spineless. Leaves doubly serrated. 
¥ M. g. 3diffisa Dec., Ait. Hort. Kew., ii. p. 172., Du Ham. Arb. Fr.,i. 
t.3.— Thornless. Leaves nearly entire. Fruit, in many instances, 
abortive of seeds. 
In the Horticultural Society’s Fruit Catalogue, the following four culti- 
vated sorts are given, which may he considered as artificial varieties : — 
1. Blake’s large-fruited Medlar. 
2. Dutch Medlar.— Fruit the largest of any. 
3. Nottingham, or common, Medlar. — Fruit obovate, middle size, and of 
the best quality: the only sort worth cultivating for its fruit in 
England. 
4. The stoneless Medlar. — Fruit small, and of little merit. 
The fruit of the medlar is not eaten till in a state of incipient decay, when it 
is very agreeable to some palates; though it is, as Du Hamel observes, more 
un fruit de fantaisie, than one of utility. A number of trees of the different 
varieties may be seen in the orchard of the Horticultural Society’s Garden, 
where they have taken very picturesque shapes. ; 
Statistics. In some of the old gardens about Twickenham, the traveller may see from the road 
medlar trees from 25 ft. to 30ft. high, with heads from 30 ft. to 40 ft. in diameter. At Syon, and at 
Ham House, there are medlars 35 ft. high. In Devonshire, at Bystock Park, a tree, 12 years planted, 
is 14ft. high. In Surrey, at Bagshot Park, one, 20 years planted, is 18 ft high; at Claremont, an old 
tree is 20ft. high. In Wiltshire, at Longford Castle, there is a tree 15 ft. high, with a trunk 1 ft. in 
diameter, and the diameter of the head 25ft. In Radnorshire, at Maeslough Castle, there is one 
24 ft. high. In Scotland, in the Glasgow Botanic Garden, 16 years planted, it is 153 ft. high; in 
Banffshire, at Gordon Castle, 24 ft. high; in Stirlingshire, at Callander Park, 40 years planted, it 
is 12 ft. high. In Ireland, in the Glasnevin Botanic Garden, 35 years planted, and 16 ft. high; in 
Galway, at Castle Coole, 16 ft. high. 
¥ 2. M. San’tuz Dec. Smith’s Medlar. 
Identification. _ Dec. Prod., 2. p. 633. ; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 605. 
Synonymes. M. grandifldra Smith Exot. Bot., 1. p.33.; M. lobata Poir, Hook. in Bot. Mag. t. 3342. 
Engravin, a Smith Exot. Bot., 1. t.18.; Bot. Mag., t. 3442.; and the plate of this species in our 
Second Volume. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves oblong, elliptic, serrated, pubescent on the nerves 
beneath. Flowers usually solitary. (Don's Mill., ii. p. 605.) The native 
country of this tree has not been ascertained. The flowers are white, and 
are one half smaller than those of the common medlar. The stipules of the 
sterile branches are large and foliaceous. A tree, growing to the height of 
20 ft.,and flowering in May and June ; readily propagated by grafting on the 
common thorn. It is as hardy as the common medlar, and well deserves 
a place in ornamental plantations for the beauty of its flowers, which are 
produced in great profusion. The general aspect and habit of the tree are 
those of a Cratee‘gus; and, indeed, it is by many persons considered as more 
properly belonging to that genus than to Méspilus. A scarlet-flowered 
variety of this species would be a most charming garden plant. 
Statistics. ‘There are fine old specimens of M. Smithzz at Syon, Purser’s Cross, Ham House, and 
Fulham Palace, from 20 ft. to 25 ft. high. In Sussex, at West Dean, 15 years planted, it is 19 ft. high, 
the diameter of the trunk 9in., and of the head 24 ft. In Wiltshire, at Wardour Castle, 30 years 
planted, it is 40ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 1 ft. 2in., and ‘of the head 21 ft., in loamy soil, 
on retentive clay. In Oxfordshire, in the Oxford Botanic Garden, 18 years planted, it is 24 ft. high. 
Jn Scotland, in Forfarshire, at Airlie Castle, 8 years planted, it is 9ft. high. In Ireland, in the 
ee Botanic Garden, 20 years planted, it is 10 ft. high. Price, in the nurseries, the same as 
or Cratz‘gus, 
