THE VICOMPTE DE SPOELBERCH PEAR. 



VicoMPTE DE Spoelberch. Revue des Revues. {N. E. Farmer, vol. x.) 



ViCOMPTE DK SpOILBERG, 1 



Despoilberg, \ of some French Collections. 



Poire de Mons, ^ 



About the year 1829, the late Mr. Manning, Gen, 

 Dearborn, and Wm. Kenrick, with the zeal which they 

 ever manifested in pomological science, opened a cor- 

 respondence with Dr. Van Mons, for the purpose of 

 securing some of the new and fine varieties of pears 

 which he had originated. Then- request for scions was 

 most hberally complied with, and, in the spring of 

 1831, upwards of seventy varieties were received, em- 

 bracing, as Dr. Van Mons stated, the sorts which pos- 

 sessed the "greatest merit" in his extensive collection; 

 and, among them, the Spoelberch. With the scions, Dr. 

 Van Mons sent a copy of his Pomographie Belgiqiie Moderne, which con- 

 tained Hthographed figures of several of his choicest seedhngs, and also 

 several parts of the Revue des Revues, a work in which complete descrip- 

 tions of all his best pears were to be given by himself. Gen. Dear- 

 born immediately made a translation of the descriptions of those which 

 Dr. Van Mons designated as the best, and the Vicompte de Spoelberch 

 was one of the number. In consequence of the high character given to 

 this variety, cultivators were very anxious to possess it ; but we beheve, 

 until 1845, it had not fruited in any of the collections around Boston. 



Unfortunately, the first package of scions received were so long de- 

 layed on the passage, that nearly or quite all died. Later, a duphcate 

 lot of scions was forwarded, but the Vicompte de Spoelberch was one 

 among the number which never survived. It first fruited in oui" collec- 

 tion in 1845, firom trees received from Jersey, and it proves to be an ex- 

 ceedingly rich and dehcious pear, somewhat of the character of the Winter 

 Nelis. It was named in honor of the Vicompte de Spoelberch, a mem- 

 ber of the Botanical and AgTicultural Society of Louvain. 



The Vicompte de Spoelberch is of moderately vigorous growth, and 

 flourishes either upon the pear or quince stock. It comes into bearing 

 early, and is a productive variety. Our specimens were from a small 

 tree upon the quince,' about four years from the bud or graft. 



Tree. — Moderately vigorous, erect, and of rather compact habit, with 

 the ends of the branches inclining towards the main stock : annual 

 shoots rather stout, wrinkled, and contorted. 



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