PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 237 



an average length of .96 inches in the former case to 1.57 inches 

 in the latter. More striking still is the difference found in the 

 case of Winter Bartlett. The stems of leaves collected at Yucaipa 

 averaged If 3 ^ inches; of leaves collected at Niles 2 inches; of leaves 

 collected at Tehachapi 1^ inches. It is possible that characters 

 of venation could be used to advantage in more or less technical 

 descriptions of leaves. From a practical point of view it was not con- 

 sidered important to take up a study of the venation. The other 

 characters mentioned are all extremely important and are illustrated as 

 well as possible in the pictures of leaves shown along with the fruit of a 

 number of the more common varieties. An attempt was made in each 

 case to pick out a leaf that was as nearly characteristic of the variety as 

 was possible. In some cases it was difficult to find a leaf at the time of 

 photographing that would take well and that would be representative, 

 but on the whole it is believed that fairly accurate photographs have 

 been secured. Leaves of practically every variety described were gath- 

 ered in many different orchards and localities of California, and in the 

 case of a few varieties and species samples were also collected in Oregon 

 and Colorado. Having made collections so generally and having found 

 only a very slight variation in general characters in widely separated 

 localities, the conclusion is reached that the types of leaves shown will 

 prove valuable as an aid in the identification of varieties. Relation- 

 ships not known to exist between different varieties are frequently sug- 

 gested by leaf characters. In the case of those that are known to exist 

 the leaf characters of one or the other parent are readily distinguished. 

 For example, the Kieffer is known to be a cross between the Bartlett 

 and Pyrus serotina. A comparison of the leaf with that of Pyrus sero- 

 tina at once suggests Japanese pear parentage. The deep, prominent 

 serration of the Japanese stock has been replaced in the hybrid by a 

 type of serration not unlike the Bartlett. The Le Conte variety, which 

 is a hybrid as a result of a cross between the Japanese pear, Pyrus sero- 

 tina, and the European pear, Pyrus communis, plainly shows its Asiatic 

 parentage in the general shape of the leaf, especially in the long apex, 

 while the European parentage has manifested itself in a broadening 

 of the apex, and in a serration very much like that of Pyrus communis. 

 In the description of fruits the scheme followed is quite similar to 

 that used by such men as Downing. More stress than usual has 

 been laid upon the calyx characteristic as to whether it is open or closed. 

 Here, again, there is some variation with locality but in general a variety 

 has either an open or a closed calyx and this characteristic, in conjunc- 

 tion with the size and shape of the basin, is considered to be of vital 

 importance in identifying varieties. The length of stem is a more 

 constant character than in the case of leaves, and wherever possible 

 accurate measurements were made of several specimens of each variety 

 and a fair average length decided upon. The general shape of each 

 is quite characteristic and the occurrence of green or brown dots is 

 common. The illustrations of varieties show the general type in each 

 case where it was possible to secure samples for photographing. The 

 serration characters have, in a few cases, been destroyed in the routing 

 of the cuts. 



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