MOST GENERALLY ESTEEMED. 



349 



SOLDAT LABOUREUR D'ESPERIN. 



Auguste Van Krans, | Beurre de Ehine. 



This variety is usually grown in this country under the name of Soldat 

 Laboureur. It is entirely distinct from the "Soldat Laboureur" of tha 

 French, which is regarded as our Beurre d'Aremberg. It was grown by 

 Major Esperin, of Malines is of strong, vigorous, upright growth, yellow- 

 ish brown wood, succeeding finely on the Quince, producing abundantly, 

 and its fruit well disseminated over the tree, always large and fair, but of 

 only second-rate quality. 



Fruit, large, generally oblong obovate pyriform, sometimes obovate pyri- 

 form ; color, greenish yellow, becoming yellow, with many patches, stripes 

 and dots of russet ; stem, short, stout, curved, in a- slight round depression, 

 or rather a raised lip one side ; calyx, open, sometimes round, regular, and 

 without divisions, others have stout persistent segments in divisions ; 

 core, compact, with outer concentric lines : seeds, obovate ; flesh, rather 

 coarse, juicy, melting, perfumed ; " very good." December to February. 



