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plant, and a return of fifty bushels per acre is regarded as a fair average- 

 crop in ordinary favourable soils. But returns up to as kigli as one 

 hundred and twenty bushels to the acre have been recorded. 



AFRICAN EARTH NUT. 



Voancbfia subterrne (Glycine subterranea), an annual plant belonging 

 to the order Leguminosie, is somewhat similar in appearance to the Eea/ 

 Nut, and can be utilized in the same way, but is less valuable as a. 

 commercial plant. It is indigenous to Africa as far south as Natal and 

 the island of Madagascar, where the native name is Voandzou, hence the 

 generic one. In some parts of Africa the plant is most generally known 

 as the Bambarra Nut. The plant grows in the same way as the Pea Nut, 

 forcing its pods into the soil, and the seeds have similar properties. In 

 cultivation precisely the same treatment is required as also in making use 

 of the seeds. 



PEAR. 



HISTORY. 



The Pear is very closely allied to the Apple, and ranks highly among 

 the fruits that flourish in temperate climates. Botanically it is known as 

 Pyrus communis, and it belongs to the Pomea3 section of the large natural 

 order JRosacece, or the Rose family. The common, or English, name comes- 

 from the French_poire, which is supposed to be derived from the Latin pyrus. 

 The Pear is indigenous to the United Kingdom and various other parts of 

 northern Europe, as also to northern Asia, China and Japan. In its wild 

 state the Pear is a thorny tree bearing harsh, tough, and unpalatable fruit, 

 which differs widely in qualities from that produced by the cultivated] 

 varieties. 



Other species yielding edible fruits which may be classed as Pears are 

 Pyrus auriculans (Pyrus fiolhvylleriana, Pyrus Polvaria), the Boll wilier 

 Pear, a species indigenous to Germany and other parts of northern 

 Europe ; Pyrus si-nenws, a Chinese species which yields a serviceable fruit, 

 one of its most prominent varieties being known as the Sand Pear. 

 Useful hybrids have been obtained between this species and varieties of 

 Pnrus communis, and more will possibly be done in the same direction. 

 Pur us nivalis, a species indigenous to middle and southern Europe, yields 

 a fruit known as the Snow Pear. This species grows in high mountain 

 regions that are too cold for the ordinary Pear, and the fruit does not 

 ripen till the advent of snow, hence the common name. The fruit is 

 palatable, though greatly inferior to the best varieties of the ordinary 

 Pear, and makes very good perry. 



From historical records the Pear appears to have been generally used 

 and cultivated by several of the nations of antiquity. It appears to have 

 been equally popular with the Syrians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Piomans. 



