THE MARIE LOUISE PEAR. 



Marie Louise. Pomological Magazine, vol. iii. pi. 122. 



Forme de Marie Louise, "\ 



Marie Chretienne, . ,. , ,, ti . • j h^ 



Princess de Parme', According to the Ponwlogical Magazine. 



Braddick's Field Marshal, J 



Maria, Thompson, in Gard. Chronicle, 1846. 



The Marie Louise has long been known as one 

 of our very finest autumn pears. As long ago as 

 ]81G, Dr. Van Mons sent specimens to the Lon- 

 don Horticultural Society, with other Belgian kinds, 

 // which attracted great attention, and so highly es- 

 tablished the reputation of the continental pears, 

 that some enthusiastic cultivators made especial 

 visits to Dr. Van Mons, and otlier amateurs, to 

 procure the identical varieties. The late Mr. 

 Braddick, near London, obtained a great number 

 of sorts at three several visits, and liberally distributed scions among 

 the London nurserymen, who soon propagated them, and offered them 

 for sale. Li LS20, the Marie Louise first fruited in England, and an 

 account of it, with a beautiful drawing of the fruit, appeared in the 

 Transactions of the London Horticultural Society. It is undoubtedly 

 one of the choicest sorts we possess, being of large size, often measuring 

 five inches in length, maturing at a good season, keeping well, with 

 an unusually melting flesh, and of the most refreshing, delicious flavor. 

 The Marie Louise was raised by the Abbe Duquesne, of Brussels, in 

 1809, though its origin is often attributed to Van Mons. Mr. Knight 

 first sent scions of it to this country in 1823, and, through Mr. Lowell, 

 it was disseminated among our cultivators. It is a very hardy, vigorous, 

 and rapid growing tree, though exceedingly ill-shaped while young, and 

 only brought into good form by careful pruning and training. The 

 annual shoots are often twisted and contorted, growing sideways, down- 

 wards, curved, and, indeed, in all directions, — a character so constant 

 that it can always be detected among all the trees in the nurseiy. When 

 once it arrives at a bearing state, its disposition to make crooked shoots 

 is checked, and it assumes a better form. It does not succeed well 

 upon the quince. 



Tree. — Vigorous, with curved and twisted branches when young, but 

 making a large and Spreading head ; annual shoots, long and stout. 



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