30 THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 



the New World almost wholly from Belgium and France, not more than 

 three or four major sorts of English origin being among those now commonly- 

 grown in America. But even though the line of march in the development 

 of varieties scarcely touches England, all English speaking pear-growers 

 have received instruction as to culture and have had knowledge of con- 

 tinental varieties transmitted to them through English publications. In 

 the history of fruits in England, therefore, many gleams of light illuminate 

 the path along which the pear has been brought from the ancients to 

 America. 



No doubt the pear was brought to Britain before the Roman conquest. 

 Tacitus, in the first century, says the climate of Britain is suitable to the 

 culture of all fruits and vegetables except the grape and the olive. Pliny 

 writes that the Britains had the cherry before the middle of the first century, 

 and almost certainly the pear and other fruits were introduced with it. 

 There was, also, a Saxon name for the pear, pirige, so philologists say, 

 before the fall of the Roman Empire. The years 43 and 407 mark the 

 beginning and the end of the Romans and of civilization in Britain for 

 many centuries, and whether or not the pear was permanently established 

 during this time there are now no means of ascertaining. The climate 

 and soil of England are congenial to the pear, however, and no doubt wild 

 or little cultivated trees persisted until the Norman conquest, the spread 

 of Christianity, and the building of many monasteries with orchards and 

 gardens as essential adjuncts. 



Even in England under the Normans who came in 1066, not much prog- 

 ress was made in fruit-growing. Tillers of the soil were hard pressed for 

 the necessities of life and could only with difficulty harvest a bare sustenance 

 from the land. Besides, monks and nobles preyed on the starving peasants 

 so that at no time could the farmer be sure of reaping what he planted. 

 Only these monks and nobles enjoyed luxuries. But even men who boasted 

 of titles and owned large holdings of land had little room within fortified 

 walls and on moated islands, which constant wars made necessary, for 

 fruits; nor had they time from projects of war and the pleasures of the 

 chase to devote to the art of agriculture. Fortunately, priors and abbots 

 were well disposed toward the good things of life, therefore made much 

 of fruits and vegetables, and with abundance of leisure the monks became 

 the only proficients of the times in gardening and orcharding. Moreover, 

 they were in constant correspondence with the continent and could ascertain 

 what culture was needed to grow perfect fruits. Pear culture had its 



