SHELDON. 



Synonyms Bland, Huron, Mayne, Misner. 



Size Large, 21 to 3 inches long, by 3 to 3 i wide, sometimes weighing 16 ounces. 



Form Usually roundish-obovate, sometimes obovate inclining to pyriform, occa- 

 sionally truncate. 



iSkin Green russet, becoming yellow russet, sometimes only faintly russeted, and 

 very rarely a brownish red cheek. 



Stem Somewhat variable in size, usually f of an inch by T 3 g, often 4 by 5, occa- 

 sionally 1 by 4, inserted sometimes obliquely in a narrow, superficial and 

 occasionally in a rather deep cavity. 



Calyx Small, segments deeply cut, usually open, sometimes closed, often partially 

 reflexed, set in a basin rather variable, usually shallow and narrow, some- 

 times wider and deeper. 



Core Medium. 



Seed Brown, small, i s g of an inch long, nearly A wide, i thick. 



Flesh Yellowish white, buttery, melting, abounding in juice, texture granular 

 with grittiness round the core and extending to the stem and calyx. 



Flavor Rich, perfumed, with some resemblance to that of the Brown Beurr6 and 

 Lodge. 



Quality " Very good." 



Period of Maturity October. 



Leaf- 21 inches long by II wide, exclusive of petiole which is II by TS. 



Wood Young shoots yellowish brown, old wood greyish brown. 



Growth Upright. 



HISTORY, ETC. 



The Sheldon Pear is a native of Wayne County, New York. The original 

 tree stands in the town of Huron, on the premises of Major Sheldon, and sprung 

 from seed planted by his father nearly forty years ago. Two other trees in the 

 vicinity, one on the farm of Mr. Norman Sheldon, and the other on that of Mr. 

 Wisner, are also said to be seedlings, bearing fruit very similar to the Sheldon. 

 They have been carefully examined by competent pomologists, who assure us that 

 they present no appearance of ever having been grafted or budded and yet no 

 one who has seen the fruit from these three trees can for a moment entertain a 

 doubt as to their perfect and entire identity. The only way of reconciling the 

 conflicting facts and statements of the case, is to adopt the more than probable 

 conclusion that two of them are unmarked suckers from the remaining one. Such 

 I have been credibly informed, is now the conviction of Major Sheldon. 



A description of this variety was published in Hovey's Magazine of Horti- 

 culture for June, 185 1, and in the Horticulturist for January, 1853. 



