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PEdRS. 189 



varying excellence it is too often acid in the extreme 

 with little flavour ; its character changes with the sea- 

 son when the year is unfavourable the fruit cracks, 

 and the trees lose all their leaves prematurely ; when 

 in perfection it is a fine plump fruit, of almost ellipti- 

 cal form, very little diminished towards the stem 

 resembling the yellow Beurree" in shape ; the skin is 

 green with clouds of black, the flesh white it ripens 

 in September, and lasts a long time in favourable sea- 

 sons. 



%5. SECKLE PEAR. 



So called from Mr. Seckle of Philadelphia, the 

 proprietor of the original tree now growing on his 

 estate near that city it is in the general estimation of 

 amateurs of fine fruit, both natives and foreigners, the 

 finest pear of this or any other country it is believed 

 to be a native fruit, produced from the seed of a fine 

 pear (of which the original proprietor owned many va- 

 rieties) accidentally dropped where this tree now 

 grows. The form and appearance, vary with aspect, 

 age, and cultivation the size generally is small, the 

 form regular, round at the blossom end, diminishing 

 with a gentle swell towards the stem, which is rather 

 short and thick; the skin is sometimes yellow, with 

 a bright red cheek, and smooth $ at other times a per- 



