botanically including the numberless sorts of pears, 

 so common amongst us. 



We can but regret that many favourite old sorts of 

 these fruits are unavoidably falling to decay. Trees, 

 like animals, grow old and diseased ; and it is ob- 

 served, that every bud or graft of such old tree, 

 when attached to another stock, still inherits the 

 age of its original, and its consequent disease. The 

 invigoration yielded by its new alliance is only tem- 

 porary. Thus, concisely, we warn our readers from 

 vain attempts to propagate healthy trees from worn- 

 out varieties. Every man should propagate from 

 seeds, or graft from sorts that are known to have 

 been recently so raised; and fruitful plantations 

 would be the consequence. 



The Pyrus Japonica is a great acquisition to our 

 gardens, from the beauty, and from the long succes- 

 sion of its flowers. Indeed it is far more easy to 

 name the season of its flowering, than to say when 

 none are produced. Its fruit, which never appears 

 to ripen here, is extremely stony and ungrateful; 

 nevertheless, after having been laid by for a time, 

 it emits a rich fruit-like odoriferous flavour. 



It is well calculated for training against trellis 

 work or a wall, and also makes a pretty standard 

 shrub, when spreading from a single stem about two 

 feet in height. It requires no peculiar care, either 

 as regards soil or situation. 



The best method of propagation is by layers, 

 which should be put down in the autumn, and they 

 will strike root freely in the following year. Cuttings 

 are sometimes taken. A part of them will grow, 

 but they produce weak plants. 



Hort. Kew. 2, v. 3, 209. 



