THE BEURRE' CLAIRGEAU PEAR. 



Beukke' Clairgeau. Album de Pomologie, vol. iv. p. 145. 



No pear of recent introduction has attracted the at- 

 tention of pomologists more than the Beurre Clairgeau. 

 Remarkably handsome in its appearance, very large in 

 size, excellent in quality, a vigorous, erect, and beautiful 

 growing tree, hardy, early, and an abundant bearer, it 

 possesses all the qualities that constitute a fine pear. 

 Preceded with a high reputation, it is gratifying to find 

 that it has fully maintained its character, and is likely to 

 prove one of the most popular pears, second only to the 

 Bartlett, Seckel, and a few others. 



The Beurre Clairgeau is a French variety, and was 

 originated by Peter Clairgeau of Nantes. The parent tree was raised in 

 1835 or '36, and first bore fruit in 1846 or '47. In 1848, the fruit was 

 first exhibited before the Horticultural Society of Nantes, and its perfect 

 form, beautiful exterior, and fine quality, at once established its reputa- 

 tion. A subscription was immediately opened by several cultivators to 

 purchase the entire stock ; but as the requisite number (two hundred) 

 could not be obtained, the trees remained in the hands of the originator. 

 In 1850, however, M. de Jonghe and other nurserymen completed the 

 subscription and took the entire stock, in all about three hundred trees 

 on the quince. These, with the parent tree, were removed to Brussels 

 in November, 1850. They produced fruit the following year, and 

 enabled the purchasers to again test its quality, which was found to be 

 excellent. But it was not till 1852, when the trees had borne another 

 crop, that they were offered for sale. 



The Beurre Clau-geau is a very upright and erect growing tree, more 

 resembhng the Buffum than any other variety ; but the foHage is larger, 

 richer and more ornamental. It bears remarkably young, scions inserted 

 in moderately strong trees producing fruit the following year. It ap- 

 pears to succeed well upon the quince. 



Tree. — Moderately vigorous, very upright and erect, branching at a 

 very acute angle, and making rather stout wood; annual shoots of me- 

 dium length. 



- Wood. — Reddish brown, dotted with rather large whitish specks, 

 stout and short-jointed ; old wood, brownish olive ; buds, large, long, 

 sharply pointed, diverging, with prominent shoulders : Flower-buds, 

 medium size, oval, very sharply pointed. 



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