114 PEAR. 



traced, still continuing in full vigour ; and the kinds which 

 toave deteriorated in some sections of the country, still main- 

 tain their celebrity in the interior, and more especially in 

 the virgin soil of the west. Which of the other causes as 

 signed, has tended to deteriorate the fine kinds alluded to, 

 we will not undertake to determine ; one or more of them 

 may have had their influence, but we think that proper 

 attention to propagation, soil, and culture, may in general, 

 if not in every instance, restore the valuable old varieties to 

 their pristine excellence ; and in this vicinity there is deci- 

 sive evidence of the improvement of that superior old variety 

 the White Doyenne, Saint Michael, or Virgalieu." 



The last line of the above extract leads me to remark, 

 that so celebrated has been the Pear therein alluded to, that 

 it has been cultivated throughout the civilized world for 

 centuries, under numberless different names. In ' Lindley's 

 Guide to the Orchard and Fruit Garden,' fifteen synonymes 

 are added to the general head, WHITE DOYENNE ; some of 

 which names are still retained in the catalogues of those 

 who profess to denounce the old fruits as " outcasts." Ill 

 fact, the various catalogues are become so complicated from 

 the above causes, that I have, to avoid discrepancy, occa- 

 sionally adopted some of the names as synonymes, of what, 

 to me, appeared to be distinct varieties ; and with a view to 

 lead the reader to judge for himself in such cases, I have 

 appended the names of the different nurserymen to the 

 articles, who being practical men of good judgment, and 

 integrity, are entitled to such distinction. These remarks 

 are intended to apply, not only to Pears, but to other species 

 of fruit in the various descriptive lists. 



