THE BOOK OF PEARS AND PLUMS 



HISTORY OF THE PEAR 



THE Pear is my theme, and a pleasant one it is. Only 

 those who have planted trees, pruned them, watched 

 their growth, plucked the fruits, enjoyed them at almost 

 all hours, seen them on the table month after month as 

 an appetising dish, can fully realise the value of the 

 Pear. A good Pear-tree is like a faithful friend treat 

 him properly and he will not fail you. Circumstances, 

 as for instance, a late frost, may render him incapable of 

 helping you ; he may have nothing to offer you ; no 

 doubt he is sorry, but with patience he will do you a 

 good turn. 



Pyrus (oTpifus), the Latin name for Pear-tree, is the 

 name of a genus of plants belonging to the natural 

 order Rosacese. Pyrus communis, the wild pear, from 

 which the numerous cultivated varieties have sprung, is 

 found over a great part of Europe and Asia, within the 

 limits of the temperate regions. Its origin is lost in 

 obscurity. The lake-dwellers in Switzerland are said 

 to have stored the fruits for winter use. It was prob- 

 ably brought by the Greeks, possibly by birds, from 

 Asia, and after a time became a favourite with the 

 Romans as well as the Greeks. It is mentioned by 

 Horace, Vergil, Juvenal, and others. Pliny refers to 

 numerous varieties, describing those with special 

 flavours. He tells us that many of the sorts were called 

 after the countries from which they came, such as the 

 Syrian, the Alexandrian, the Numidian, and the Grecian. 



