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the quince-stock of all pears. Grown on this, the size is vastly 

 increased, the flavor and texture improved, and the low structure 

 prevents these ^reat fruits from being blown off, while the bud 

 unites with the quince-stock with so great firmness, that few trees 

 of this variety ever fracture at the graft, and all seem to grow 

 with as much vigor as on the pear stock. It must be said, how- 

 ever, that, like other royal personages, it does not produce great 

 numbers of fruit, at least when young, though I have often seen 

 on rich soils, trees loaded as heavily as any other variety. The 

 fruit must be well thinned, the tree severely pruned, and the soil 

 rich. The wood is of a light yellow, tending to a reddish bloom 

 on the sunny side of the young growth. The tree is not very 

 regular in its shape, but endures severe pruning well. 



Specimens of this Pear, weighing two pounds and a half, have 

 been produced in California ; and one which weighed two and a 

 quarter pounds was raised by Dr. Ward, of Newark, N. J. It is 

 one of the most profitable market varieties, the largest fruits selling 

 from two shillings to a dollar each, in the shops of Broadway. I 

 have picked Duchesse weighing twenty-one ounces, from trees 

 received from France in the preceding spring, or seven months 

 previously. 



