Chapter 



THE PEAR, THE QUINCE, THE MEDLAR, 

 THE LOQUAT, AND OTHERS. 



" O Spring, of hope, and love, and youth, and gladness, 



Wind-winged emblem ! brightest, best, and fairest, 



Whence comest thou, when, with dark winter's sadness, 



The tears that fade in sunny smiles thou sharest ? " 



Shelley. 



HE history of the Pear (Pyrus communis) 

 corresponds, in some degree, with that of the 

 apple. The original native countries would 

 seem to be the same, so far as regards the 

 typical or primitive form the district, that is 

 to say, of the southern Caucasus and the 

 north of Persia, extending therefrom, westwards, over 

 all parts of temperate Europe, reaching even into the 

 southern portions of Sweden, and somewhat doubtfully 

 into our own island. To assert positively that it is 



