328 PEAR. 



several years' growth, on the extremities of very short 

 protruding shoots, technically called spurs. It is found in 

 a wild state in England, and abundantly in France and 

 Germany, as well as in other parts of Europe, not excepting 

 Russia, as far North as lat. 51. It grows in almost any 

 soil. The cultivated tree differs from the Apple, not only 

 in having a tendency to the pyramidal form, but also in 

 being more apt to send out tap roots ; it being, as a seed- 

 ling plant, longer (generally from fifteen to eighteen years) 

 in coming into bearing ; and when on its own root, or 

 grafted on a wild Pear stock, of being much longer Ir.ed. 

 In a dry soil, it will exist for centuries, and still keep its 

 health, productiveness, and vigour. There are fewer good 

 sorts of Pears, in proportion to the number of current 

 varieties than Apples. The Romans had thirty-six varieties 

 in Pliny's time: there are now several hundreds in the 

 French and British nurseries; the London Horticultural 

 Catalogue contains the names of six hundred and twenty- 

 %wa. Professor Van Mons r of Brussels, and M. Duquessie* 

 of Mons, fruited about eight thousand seedling Pears, from 

 which they obtained nearly eight hundred sorts worth culti- 

 vating, (Neil's Hort. Jour.) The varieties are divided by 

 the French into different classes of fruits, which are 

 designated as Beurrees, Crevers, Poiree, <fcc. 



CRITERION OF A GOOD PEAR. Dessert Pears are charac- 

 terized by a sugary aromatic juice, with the pulp soft and 

 sub-liquid, or melting, as in the Beurrees, or Butter Pears ; 

 or of a firm and crisp consistence, or breaking as in the 

 Winter Bergamots. Kitchen Pears should be of a large size, 

 with the flesh firm, neither breaking nor melting, and 

 rather austere than sweet. Perry Pears may be either large 

 or small ; but the more austere the taste, the better will be 

 the liquor ; excellent perry is made from the wild Pear. 



Pear trees are propagated by grafting in the Spring, or 

 budding late in the Summer, and also by seed taken from 

 the best sorts for the purpose of obtaining new varieties. In 

 raising Pear stocks, the wild Pear is preferred in Europe, as 

 being calculated to produce plants more hardy and durable 

 than the cultivated sorts ;. and for dwarfing and precocity, 

 the Quince is preferred* 



