294 [ THE SERVICE TRIE 



2. CAPITATA, as the wild form, but with larger 

 blossoms. 



3. FRAN901S RIGAUD. The tree is very floriferous 

 and its fruits are yellow, but rather small. 



The Azarole is liable to many diseases in common 

 with other pome fruits. It is subject to the wood-borers 

 to the same extent as the hawthorn, but less so than 

 either the pear, the apple or the quince. The fruit is 

 rarely visited by the fruit fly. 



THE SERVICE TREE. 



PIRUS (PYRUS) DOMESTICA Ehrh. Sorbus domestica Lin. 

 Pyrus Sorbits Gaertn. 



. Italian sorbo. Yrtnchcormter. 



The Service tree is native of the Mediterranean 

 region and Asia Minor, but the half wild trees found 

 growing in valleys and old gardens in these Islands are 

 probably the suckers thrown up by the roots of old trees 

 which have ceased to exist. The tree is from three to 

 four or five metres high, with alternate imparipinnate 

 leaves having 6 to 8 pairs of leaflets, which are shed in 

 autumn. The flowers are small, white, produced in 

 panicles at the extremity of the twigs and come out 

 along with the foliage. The tree has naturally a straight 

 erect stem, and at first grows freely but afterwards its 

 growth is very slow. It thrives in the shade as well as 

 in full sunshine, but prefers a deep and moist soil and a 

 sheltered situation. The tree takes a long time to bear 

 fruit, generally from 15 to 20 years, but when in bearing 

 condition the production is regular and usually very 

 abundant, every year the tree being thickly covered with 

 clusters of fruit. The fruit is a pome which matures late 

 in September or in October, but is then too astrin- 

 gent to be palatable, and is cut in October and hung 



