Seedling Pear 
Trees 
The wild pears have 
a protective equipment 
of thorns, as illustrated 
by the seedlings at the 
right. These thorns are 
no longer needed to pro- 
tect the cultivated pear, 
and they have been en- 
tirely discarded by the bes! 
cultivated varieties, as il- 
lustrated by the seedling 
at the left. An occasional 
seedling, however, still re- 
verts to the thorny type, 
showing the strong 
hold of heredity. 
