16 CHARACTER, HISTORY AND 



and other islands in the Indian Archipelago ; the second has been assigned 

 to the Pine Apple, the third to the Orange, the fourth to the Peach, the 

 fifth to the Grape, and the sixth to the Pear ; but as all, except the three 

 last, are natives of, and can only be reared within, or near the tropics, and 

 as the Grape can be produced in perfection, in the open air, in but a 

 very small portion, if in any, of the United States, the Pear takes the second 

 station. And if the long period of nearly ten months during which the 

 numerous most admired varieties are successively matured for our tables, 

 is taken into consideration, with the diversity of graceful forms, beauty of 

 color, agi-eeable aroma and delicious flavor of many of them, which rival, 

 if they do not surpass, the Peach in these quahties, it may, with propriety, 

 be placed at the head of the hst of fruits, in all the States where the 

 Orange cannot be cultivated. 



The genus Pyrus, of the class Icosandria and order Pentagynia, includes 

 the Pear, Apple, Quince, White Beam, Service, Mountain Ash and a feAV 

 other species of trees. 



The derivation of the Avord pyrus is involved in obscurity. Some 

 authors have traced it to the Greek synonym apios ; but others believe it to 

 have origmated from the Celtic word penen, whence the Anglo Saxons 

 have taken pere, the Flemings peere, the Swedes peeron, the French poire, 

 and the English pear. 



Generic characters. Calyx — Perianth superior, of one leaf, concave, 

 with five spreading segments, permanent. Corolla— 'Fetah five, roundish, 

 concave, inserted by their claws into the calyx. Stamens — Filaments 

 twenty, awl-shaped, shorter than the corolla ; anthers simple, roundish. 

 Pistil — Germen inferior, roundish ; styles from two to five, thread-shaped, 

 the length of the stamens; stigmas bluntish. Pericarp -^I'ea.r, elongated 

 at the base. Seeds — Two, rarely more, in each cell, oblong, obtuse, 

 pomted at the base, convex on one side, flat on the other. 



Pyrus communis. Common Pear — tree tall ; wood of a reddish color, 

 heavy, firm, of a very fine and close grain, and takes such a permanent 

 black stain, that it resembles ebony, and is often substituted for it, and is 

 used, instead of box, by engravers on wood ; leaves simple, alternate, 

 oblong-ovate, serrated, of a glossy green, but downy when young ; flowers 

 white, large, concave, Avith pale red anthers, arranged in corymbs, at the 

 ends of the branches, Avhile the infloresence of the apple is umbellate. In 

 the Avild state the branches are thorny. Fruit generally obovate, more or 

 less elongated at the base, or pyramidal, but sometimes round, or apple- 

 shaped. 



Pears are divided into tAvo classes, from their pecuhar distinguishing 

 qualities of consistence, viz. : the Melting- and Breaking ; each class is 

 then subdivided into Summer, Autumn and Winter ; and those into Table 

 and Cooking. 



