770 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



with a soft blush on the sunny side of the fruit that is exposed to the sunlight; flesh fine- 

 grained, sweet and juicy, vinous. Ripens from the last of August to the last of September. 

 The flavor is injured when grown in damp or unfavorable soils, it then being somewhat acid. 

 Buerre d AnjOU is one of the very best varieties of pears, said to be of French 

 origin, and was introduced into this country by Col. Marshall P. Wilder. The tree is vigor 

 ous and hardy, the fruit large, with a short thick fleshy stem, surrounded by russet. Skin 

 of a greenish color, sprinkled with russet, and sometimes tinted with faint crimson, and 

 thickly dotted with brown and crimson. Flesh nearly white, deliciously vinous and juicy. 

 Ripens in October and November. 



Duchesse d AngOllleme. This is a very large variety of pear, sometimes weighing 

 a pound and a quarter. It is said to be a natural seedling, found in the forest hedge 

 near Angers. It is very large, oblong obovate in form, with a somewhat uneven surface. 

 Skin greenish yellow, streaked and spotted with russet. Flesh white, very rich and juicy, 

 and of excellent flavor. Ripens in October. 



Fuller, in his Pear Culturist, relates the following bit of romance in connection with the 

 celebrated Duchesse d AngouMme pear: A French nobleman, observing his tenant about to 

 destroy a fine, thrifty pear tree, inquired the cause. He was told that it was a chance seedling, 

 and had borne no fruit in twenty years. He had already cut its roots preparatory to the 

 first stroke, but was ordered to let it remain. He did so, and in the following year it was 

 loaded with superb fruit of an entirely unknown variety, which at once became celebrated. 

 The root-pruning the gardener had given it worked like a charm. Not many years after 

 wards, when the Duchesse d Angouleme was passing through Lyons, its inhabitants sent to 

 her their hospitalities. Nine fair maidens presented the Duchesse with golden salvers, on 

 which lay heaped this precious fruit, and begged her to bestow on it her name; and the pear, 

 now recognized as the crowning glory of all fruits, was thenceforward known as the Duchesse 

 d Angouleme. 



Flemish Beauty. An old variety; said to be of Belgian origin. The tree is very hardy 

 and productive. It should be gathered sooner than most varieties, since if left upon the 

 tree until it parts from the branch readily, it will be of poor quality and soon decay, but 

 when ripened off the tree, very fine flavored. Fruit, large and roundish in form, skin of a 

 pale yellow ground, but mostly covered with patches and streaks of light russet, shading to 

 a reddish brown when matured and exposed to the sun. Stalk short; flesh yellowish white, 

 rather coarse grained, but exceedingly juicy, fine flavored, and rich. Ripens the last of 

 September. 



Bloodgood. An early pear, of very high flavor, and is one of the best of early 

 varieties. The fruit is of medium size, slightly obovate, thickening abruptly into the stem. 

 Skin yellow sprinkled with russet, flesh yellowish white, fine grained, and melting with a rich, 

 sugary, aromatic flavor. It ripens from the early part of July to the middle of August. 



Clapp s FaYOrite. This fine pear was raised from seed by Mr. Thaddeus Clapp of 

 Dorchester, Mass. The fruit is large, obovate; surface a little uneven, skin pale yellow, 

 faintly marked with crimson, and thickly sprinkled with russet spots, when grown in a sunny 

 exposure. The flesh is white, fine grained, juicy, melting, sweet, vinous, and rich. Ripens 

 the last of August and early in September. 



Louise Bonne. An old French winter variety, large, pyriform, skin smooth, pale 

 green in color, flesh white, rather coarse grained, juicy, and sweet. A good winter variety, 

 ripens in December. 



Ho well. This valuable pear was produced by Mr. Thomas Howell of New Haven, 

 Conn. The fruit is rather large, roundish in form, light yellow in color, with a slight blush 

 Finely shaded when exposed to the sun, thickly sprinkled with fine russet dots. Flesh 

 somewhat white, juicy, brisk and vinous in flavor. Ripens in September and October. 



