THE BONNE DES ZEES PEAR. 



Bonne des Zees. Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xix. p. 205. 



Bonne d'Ezee, 1 



Bonne des haies, \ of some French Collections. 



Belle et Bonne de Zee, ) 



It is now some eight or ten years since we first saw 

 this variety, and noticed it in the Magazine of Horti- 

 culture, (vol. xi. p. 205.) It was in September, 1844, 

 when visiting the nursery of M. Jamin, in Paris, that 

 we tasted the Bonne des Zees, and at that time we 

 thought it one of the best of pears : true, we had not 

 many others to compare with it, for at that period of 

 the year there were but few ripe ; and in the absence 

 of such varieties as the Gushing, Golden Beurre of 

 Bilboa, Bartlett, Belle Lucrative, &c., which we have 

 abundant enough here, but which we did not see in Paris, we might 

 have forgotten their comparative merits. Still, we thought it excellent, 

 and now, after a trial of it for four years, from our own collection, we 

 think it fully sustains the high character we gave it in 1844. It some- 

 what resembles the Bartlett in shape and color, at least more so than 

 any other variety we now recollect ; and it is superior to it in quality. 

 The flesh is not so buttery, but it possesses a rich, somewhat vinous and 

 highly ai'omatized flavor. It is a very handsome pear. 



The origin of the Bonne des Zees is unknown to us; whether a 

 French or Belgian variety we are not aware. We first saw the name in 

 M. Jamin's Catalogue, and up to the present time it appears but partially 

 disseminated abroad. There is some doubt about the proper mode of 

 writing the name, some French catalogues denominating it the Bonne 

 d'Ezee ; but we have adopted that under which we received it, and 

 which is the one used by M. Jamin. 



The tree is a moderately vigorous grower, making a very compact 

 pyramidal head, even without the aid of the pruning-knife, which has 

 only to be used to thin out its thick and branchy growth. It does 

 not come into bearing very early on the pear, nor does it succeed very 

 well on the quince. 



: Tree. — Moderately vigorous, upright, erect, and pyramidally formed. 

 Wood. — ^Dull yellowish olive, dotted with large grayish white specks, 

 moderately stout, and very short-jointed ; old wood, grayish olive ; an- 

 nual shoots, short; buds, small, ovate, flattened, and sh^jply pointed : 

 Flower-buds, small, tapering to a point. 



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