188 [ T HE PEAR TREE 



THE PEAR TREE. 

 Pirns (Py-rus) Communis Lin. 



The wild pear (Pirus communis L.) and its variety 

 the almond-leaved pear (P. communis var. amygdaliformis 

 VilU are still met with growing in the valleys of Malta, 

 and suckers of seedlings taken from them are used by 

 our gardeners as stock for grafting the cultivated pear ; 

 but the distribution of the wild pear extends to all the 

 countries bordering the Mediterranean, as well as to 

 Central Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Northern 

 China. The wild pear is highly ornamental and its 

 trusses of pure white blossoms are larger and finer than 

 those of the cultivated pear, and bloom four or five 

 weeks earlier, usually in February. All cultivated pears 

 are supposed to derive their origin from P. communis 

 var. Achras Gaertn. ( P. Piraster L.) a variety of the 

 wild pear common all over the continent. 



The pear has been cultivated by the ancient Greeks 

 and Romans, but the older varieties have been superseded 

 by more recent sorts, chiefly of French, Belgian and 

 Italian origin, which are less gritty and therefore more 

 palatable. However, the cultivation of the pear as a first 

 class dessert fruit, on an extensive commercial scale, is 

 in most countries a comparatively modern development. 



The tree has a pyramidal habit of growth, with a 

 deep tap root when grown on own roots, but in this 

 Island rarely exceeds four metres in height. When on 

 own roots it thrives best in a deep moderately moist 

 soil, preferably of a clayey nature, with considerable 

 admixture of calcareous earth ; but when grown on 

 quince stock it is more productive and produces fruit of 

 better quality if planted in rich porous red soils. Very 

 dry situations are unfavourable to the pear. In sunny 

 and sheltered situations the tree grows with vigour, and 

 the production is regular and of better quality , but in 



