AUTUMN PEAES. 401 



enormously productive, but, even with thinning the crop, it is an 

 indifferent fruit. The wood is very strong, and dark coloured. 

 Fruit rather large, regular pyriform, tapering into the stalk. 

 Skin smooth, yellow, with a brownish-red cheek. Stalk one to 

 two inches long, rather slender and curved. Calyx set in a 

 shallow depression. Flesh at first melting, juicy, and some- 

 times rich, but quickly decays. Last of September. 



145. NIELL. Thomp. Van Mons. 



Beurre Niell. Man. in H. M. Colmar Bosc. 



Poire Niell. Land. Fondante du Bois, (incorrectly of some.) 



A large and handsome Belgian variety, raised by Van Mons, 

 from seeds sown in 1815, and named in honor of Dr. Niell, of 

 Edinburgh, a distinguished horticulturist, and man of science. 

 The tree bears plentifully. Its quality is not yet fully ascer- 

 tained, but specimens obtained here, promise well. Young 

 wood stout, diverging, gray. 



Fruit large, obovate, inclining to pyriform, rather shortened 

 in figure on one side, and enlarged on the other tapering to the 

 stalk which is about an inch long, obliquely planted, with little 

 or no cavity. Skin pale yellow, delicately marked with thin 

 russet, finely dotted, and sometimes marked with faint red. 

 Flesh white, buttery, sweet, with a plentiful and agreeable juice. 

 Last of September. 



146. NAPOLEON. Lind. P. Mag. Thomp. 



Medaille. Charles d'Autriche. ) incorrectly 



Sucree Doree, (qf$ome.) Wurtemberg. ) of some. 



Roi de Rome. 



The Napoleon is a pear of many fine qualities. As a 

 tree it is very hardy, thrifty, and bears abundant crops, even 

 while very young ; and its fruit is exceedingly juicy, melting, 

 and agreeable in flavour. In poor soils, or in unfavourable ex- 

 posures only, it is a little astringent. The leaves are broad, 

 and the shoots are upright, and olive-coloured. 



Lindley gives this as a seedling of Dr. Van Mons but we 

 believe, incorrectly, though Van Mons first sent it to England 

 in 1816. It was raised from seed in 1808, by M. Liart, gar- 

 dener at Mons ; exhibited by him before the Horticultural So- 

 ciety of Mons, which decreed him a medal for it, [whence the 

 synonyme Medaille ;] the original tree was then purchased for 

 33 francs, by the Abbe Duquesne, who bestowed on it the name 

 of Napoleon. 



Fruit pretty large, obtuse- pyriform, (but varying more than al- 

 most any other pear in form.) Skin smooth, clear green at 



34* 



