ONE OF THE ORIENTAL 

 PEARS 



The Oriental pears have not the 

 characteristic shapes of the European 

 pears. The latter were presumably 

 modified in shape through selection at a 

 comparatively recent period. The orig- 

 inal home of the pear was, without 

 doubt., central Asia, and the fruit was 

 carried into Europe, probably in pre- 

 historic times. The pear is often char- 

 acterized by having a fibrous or woody 

 deposit in the skin and near the core, 

 indicated by the dotted appearance of 

 this Oriental specimen. 



