Descriptions of Select Varieties of Pears. 166 



long cultivated as the Beurre Ranee ; and with such con- 

 flicting evidence, it is difficult to come to any satisfactory 

 decision. So fine a fruit should be cultivated everywhere ; 

 and to settle the question, we have ordered several trees from 

 Angers, that we may be enabled to ascertain immediately 

 whether we are cultivating the true sort. 



The Beurre Ranee was raised at Mons by the late M. Har- 

 denpont, and was brought to the notice of pomologists by 

 Dr. Van Mons. 



Size, large, about five inches long, and three and a half in 

 diameter ; Form, oblong, or obtuse pyriform, slightly irreg- 

 ular, with an uneven surface ; Skin, thick, dark green, some- 

 what russeted around the crown, bronzed on the sunny side, 

 and covered with russet specks ; Stem, long, about one and a 

 half inches in length, moderately stout, straight, and oblique- 

 ly inserted in a small shallow cavity on the obtuse end ; Eye, 

 medium size, open, and little sunk in a regular, abruptly de- 

 pressed basin ; segments of the calyx, short, thick ; Flesh, 

 greenish white, coarse, melting, buttery and juicy ; Flavor, 

 rich, sugary, highly perfumed and delicious ; Core, small 

 near the crown ; Seeds, medium size, sharply pointed. Ripe 

 from January to May. 



142. Vesouziere, (Leon le Clerc.) 



The Vesouziere {fig. 14) is a new pear, which fruited 

 recently, for the first time, we believe, in our collection. We 

 find no description of it, only in the catalogues of the French 

 and Belgian cultivators, where it is named as a small pear, 

 ripening in December and January. 



Our trees were received from M. Jamin, of Paris, and they 

 have now fruited two seasons ; and though the fruit ripened 

 the last of October, or early part of November, a month 

 before the time above stated, we do not doubt its being the 

 true variety. 



The Vesouziere is a moderate sized fruit, very handsome 

 in appearance, and of excellent quality. The tree is of a 

 vigorous, though somewhat irregular habit, and grows freely 

 upon the quince. It appears to be an abundant bearer. 



