THE 



Canadian Hokticultukist 



Vol. XX 



1897. 



No. lo. 



PETITE MARGUERITE. 



|# MONG the desirable varieties 

 % of dessert pears for the home 

 garden, we would certainly 

 include the Petite Marguerite, 

 a pear of the highest quality 

 for table use. At Maple- 

 hurst the tree has proved 

 itself an abundant bearer and a good 

 grower. The fruit is not large, but as 

 size is not an object in a dessert pear, 

 this is not a fault. Its season is im- 

 mediately after the Giffard, and just 

 before the Clapp and the Tyson. As a 

 market pear it is hardly to be com- 

 mended, because of its small size and 

 color ; and it will be a long time before 

 we can convince the average dealer that 

 size and color are not the chief con- 

 siderations in a fruit. 



The engraving is from a photograph 

 by Miss Wilena Brodie, assistant to the 

 writer, who is making a special study of 

 photographing fruits, natural size, for 

 the e.xperiment station reports. 



Origin — Angers, France, in nurseries 

 of Andre LeRoy. 



Tree — Second rate in vigor, and first 

 rate in productiveness ; succeeds as 

 either standard or dwarf, but more 

 vigorous as a standard. 



Fruit — Medium size, about 2.^8 in 

 either diameter ; form, oblate, obtuse 

 pyriform ; skin, light green, often tinged 

 and mottled with bright red on sunny 

 side, yellowing somewhat at maturity ; 

 stalk, an inch and a quarter to an inch 

 and a half in length, set in a narrow 

 cavity, of which one side is often much 

 higher than the other ; calyx partly 

 open, in a shallow corrugated basin. 



Flesh — White, yellowish at core ; tex- 

 ture fine, melting, juicy : flavor sweet, 

 vinous, agreeable. 



Season — August 20 to 30. 



Quality — First rate for dessert ; second 

 rate for cooking. 



Value — Home market, second rate. 



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