The Howell Pear. 69 



the base, and narrowing considerably to the crown which is 

 small: Skin^ fair, somewhat rough, rich yellow, much rus- 

 seted around the stem, and broadly marked on the sunny 

 side with pale orange red : Sleni, medium length, about 

 three quarters of an inch long, slender, and moderately sunk 

 in a small contracted cavity : .Ei/e, small, closed, and mod- 

 erately sunk in a rather large and abruptly depressed basin ; 

 segments of the calyx short : Flesh, yellowish white, rather 

 fine, crisp, and tender : Juice, plentiful, pleasantly acid, with 

 a sprightly and rich pearmain flavor : Core, rather large and 

 open : Seeds, small, angular. Ripe in November and De- 

 cember. 



Art. V. The Hoicell Pear, a Neiv Native Seedling ; with 

 a Descrijjtion and Engraving of the Fruit. By the Ed- 

 itor. 



Among the American pears which have been brought into 

 notice recently, the Howell occupies a prominent place. Some 

 very beautiful specimens of it were exhibited at the last an- 

 nual show of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at 

 Faneuil Hall, in September, and a few were forwarded to us, 

 at the same time, by our correspondent, S. D. Pardee, Esq., 

 of New Haven. Highly gratified at finding it a fruit of so 

 much merit, we requested Mr. Pardee to send us an account 

 of its origin, which we were desirous of appending to a full 

 description of the pear. He has kindly complied with our 

 request, and we publish at length his interesting communica- 

 tion, as follows : — 



Dear Sir, — Agreeably to your request I give you the an- 

 nexed history of the Howell pear, which was exhibited at 

 the last Annual Fair of the Massachusetts Horticultural Soci- 

 ety, and of which you had a few specimens to test the qual- 

 ity of the fruit. The seed was planted by the late Thomas 

 Howell, Esq., in his garden in this city, in 1829 or '30, and 

 the tree is therefore about 18 years old. 



Mr. Howell's premises adjoined those of the late Governor 

 Edwards, whose seedling pears have acquired such deserved 



