THE DEARBORN SEEDLING PEAR. 99 



branches long, rather slender, extending horizontally, to within eighteen 

 inches or two feet of the ends, which are turned upwards nearly perpen- 

 dicularly. The bark of the annual shoots is brown, freckled with small 

 grayish clots, and that of the preceding year's growth and of the trunk, a 

 dusky green. 



The leaves are ovale, short, rounded at the base and pointed at the other 

 extremity, finely serrated, smooth, borders undulate, bright green, paler 

 beneath, nerves conspicuous. 



The fruit is of a medium size, rounded at the blossom end, largest 

 midway its length, and regularly diminishing in a pyramidal manner to the 

 peduncle, which is inserted in a small cavity, but little depressed, the eye 

 slightly sunk, leaves of the calyx not very prominent. 



Skin smooth, thin, green sprinkled with russet points, and a fawn colored 

 blotch about half an inch in diameter round the peduncle, which is short 

 and commonly bent; but within three or four days before the maturity of 

 the fruit, it begins to acquire a lighter green tint, and Avhen fully ripe 

 becomes a delicate yellow. 



Last year there was a cluster of blossoms near the end of a lower 

 branch, which produced one pear ; this year the tree has borne thirty five. 



The fruit began to ripen on the 12th, and the last were mature on the 

 80th of August. 



The qualities of the fruit I have not presumed to describe, that being 

 within the special province of the Committee, of Avhich you are chairman. 

 Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, 



H. A. S. DEARBORN. 



Samuel Downer, Esq., 



Chairman of the Committee on Fruit and Fruit Trees, 

 Massach useits Horticultural Society. 



[The following statement was published in the New England Fanner, in September, 1S31 ] 



DEARBORN'S SEEDLING PEAR. 



This is the name given, by the Committee on Fruits, to the pear, whose 

 history is accurately delineated by the President of the Massachusetts 

 Horticultural Society, in the last number of the New England Farmer. 



This fruit was thus characterized by the Committee: — A pear rather 

 under the medium size ; skin smooth and fair, and of a light yellow color ; 

 very melting and of the finest fiavor. Indeed, in this respect, it appeared 

 fully equal to the very ancient and once famous and delicious St, Michael ; 

 and as there are appearances which indicate that it may prove a good 

 bearer, it bids fair to become a valuable acquisition to our list of summer 

 fruits. 



