FRUIT committee's REPORT. 85 



La Juive. Medium size, obovate, green skin, very slight depression at 

 stem and calyx. 



Alexandre Lambr^. Rounded obovate, green, calyx large, open in a 

 sh6al basin. 



Fulvie Gregoire, (not Fulvie Nouvelle.) Small, rounded, green, with 

 some russet, red in sun, calyx prominent, stem little on one side. 

 • St. Vincent de Paul. Of medium size, pyramidal form, yellow skin, red 

 in the sun. 



General Bosquet. Large, obovate or elongated obovate ; smooth, yellow 

 skin, nearly covered with russet, and some red in the sun, — exceedingly at- 

 tractive in appearance. 



Where descriptions are so brief and imperfect, it would be useless to add 

 further to the list; especially as it is doubtful if it can subserve any useful 

 purpose. It may, however, be stated that, besides the above, several new 

 seedlings of the first year were exhibited; that, should they come up to 

 what they promise, will be described on some subsequent occasion. 



As so many cultivators, in the vicinity of Boston, make of the pear 

 an object of engrossing attention, or of paramount importance, remarks of 

 a somewhat more extended character in relation to this fruit seems called 

 for on the present occasion, by this circumstance, than is felt to be neces- 

 sary with respect to other species, that, equally valuable, are not so much 

 objects of general interest. 



The pear is a delicious fruit, and in some respects justifies the preference 

 it appears to enjoy; indeed, there is no fruit superior to a luscious, juicy, 

 melting pear, and none that is more generally esteemed ; and yet, for New 

 England cultivation, in actual value and real importance, it must, it is be- 

 lieved, yield precedence to the apple, especially as this last must be re- 

 garded as a product not only of horticulture, but of agriculture. 



Although it is a fact generally understood, yet, as it seems necessary for 

 the present purpose, a repetition of it will perhaps be excused. At the close 

 of the past and commencement of the present century, an impression exist- 

 ing that most of the varieties of the pear then generally cultivated were so 

 infected with the vices and diseases incident to a very prolonged existence 

 as to be fast becoming, if not already unfit for farther propagation, that an 

 attempt was resolved on for the resuscitation of the species. 



The pioneer in this attempt, if not the originator of the idea, was Dr. 

 Van Mons of Belgium, who, acting upon a theory established in his own 

 mind as the just deduction from acknowledged principles, or the result of 

 his own conclusions, believed that by raising seedlings for several suc- 

 cessive generations, from the hardy wild pear, he should in the end pro- 

 duce new varieties, that, free from disease, would produce fruit of superior 

 quality. 



To an attempt at a realization of his idea Dr. Van Mons devoted his 

 time and energies, prosecuting it with a patience and perseverance almost 

 without a parallel, until in from the sixth to the eighth generation in regu- 

 lar successive descent of his seedlings he attained to a confirmation of his 

 theory and the fruition of his hopes and expectations, in the production of 



