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over-ripe when it arrives at its destination. As a matter of course, fruit 

 for shipment to the United Kingdom and other distant countries should 

 be packed several weeks before it would ripen in the ordinary course. 

 Each Pear should be carefully wrapped in white tissue, or thin blotting, 

 paper and placed in close layers so that they cannot move in the cases. 

 Probably the best mode of packing would be to have a tray for each layer 

 of fruit so as to avoid undue pressure. This plan could be easily adopted 

 at a small additional expense. Packing in trays would also give an 

 advantage in allowing a better circulation of air among the fruit, a matter 

 of some importance during a long voyage. For the same reason, in 

 shipping Pears, care should be taken that the place set apart for them on 

 board ship can be well ventilated and kept at a medium low and even 

 temperature throughout the voyage. These remarks will apply more or 

 less to all fruits exported, but more especially to the Pear, which requires 

 far more care than the Apple, Orange, or Lemon. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 



As in the case of other popular fruits, there are a great number of 

 varieties in cultivation, and several hundreds have been introduced to 

 Australasia. In fact, there are far too many for practical purposes, and 

 the lists are perfectly bewildering to ordinary cultivators. All the leading 

 European kinds are to be found in nurserymen's catalogues, which also 

 include several Australasian seedlings of merit. As a rule, growers of 

 Pears, whether upon a large or small scale, will find it to their interest to 

 confine themselves to a limited number of varieties. More satisfaction is 

 likely to be obtained from a dozen sorts than a Imndred. The qualities 

 desirable in dessert Pears are that they should not be too large, but 

 juicy, sugary, tender, melting, and highly flavoured. For culinary 

 purposes Pears should be large, juicy, firm, and crisp. If wanted for 

 canning, those kinds are best whose flesh remains white instead of 

 changing to pink or red, as the majority do. For drying the same 

 qualities are required as for culinary Pears. The kinds specially adapted 

 for making perry are those that bear freely and produce juicy and rather 

 sharply flavoured fruit. 



PRINCIPAL FORMS OF PEARS. 



Pyriform. When tapering from the eye to the base, and the sides 

 more or less hollowed (concave). 



Long Pyriform When long and narrow and tapering to a point at 

 the stem. 



ObtH&e-pyriform. When the lower part of the fruit is broader than in 

 the other pyriform types. 



Obovnte. When the fruit is nearly in the form of an egg, the small 

 end being next to the stalk. 



Turbinate cr Top-shaped. When the sides are rounded and the fruit 

 tapers to a point at the stalk. 



