J^olice of the Angora Pear. 169 



Art. III. Some notice of the Poire d^ Angora, (Angora 

 Peary) with a translation of a letter written by J\l. Leon le 

 ClerCy President of the Academy of Sciences, respecting its 

 origin^ ^c. By J. W. Knevels, Esq., Fishkill, N. Y. 



As one of the speculators in recent importations of the 

 above named article, I feel interested in the judgment pro- 

 nounced upon it by that experienced pomologist, R. Man- 

 ning, Esq., that with him, trees under the same name, received 

 from France, have proved to be the Catillac. If the Angora 

 pear, in all cases, is only a synonyme of the well known Catil- 

 lac, either a gross deception has been practised upon the com- 

 munity, or the French nurserymen are surprisingly ignorant 

 of the science they profess. I am loath, however, without 

 further experience, to adopt Mr. ^Manning's decision as a 

 definitive sentence, although it is corroborated by the descrip- 

 tion given of the Catillac, which corresponds with the drawing 

 of the Angora pear, late exhibited in New York. 



My first knowledge of the fruit in question was derived 

 from a letter written by the celebrated M. Leon le Clerc to 

 the President of the French Academy of Sciences, &c., 

 read at the sittings of the 4th of February, ISoS, and pub- 

 lished by the Chevalier Soulange Bodin, in his Annales de 

 rinstitut Royal Horticole de Fromont, Vol. IV., p. 329. I 

 send you a translation of this communication, in order that 

 the weight of the names of Leon le Clerc and Tournefort 

 may lead to a further investigation of the subject, and as it 

 also leaves room for a hope that the fruit lately received from 

 France may prove the genuine Poire d'Angora, and a new 

 and valuable acquisition to the cornucopia of Pomona. 



The following is the "Lettre de M. Leon le Clerc, ancien 

 Depute de la Mayenne au President de I'Academie des Sci- 

 ences de 1' Institut," which I have translated for your pages. 



"Mr. President: — It is already more than a century since 

 our illustrious Tournefort called the attention of Europeans to 

 the pear of Angora. Since then, another traveller has also 

 mentioned it with praise, and oral communications enable me 

 to state, that even at the present moment it is still, in winter, 

 one of the most delicious fruits of Constantinople. You, sir, 

 know better than I, that our great botanist did not disdain the 

 study of pomology. Thus, when on his journey, as for in- 

 VOL. VIII. NO. V. 22 



