152 MISCELLANEOUS COOL PLANTS. 



a pound. The fruit varies considerably, but averages 

 about the size of a goose egg. The fruit is the most 

 perfectly seedless of any I have ever seen, without a 

 trace of a seed. It requires cool weather in order to set 

 fruit, and never does so excepting a norther or other cool 

 spell, when the fruit sets in great quantities." Mr. Ben- 

 son's letter is accompanied by an admirable illustration of 

 the fruit. In the northern states it has always proved a 

 shy bearer, if I may judge from such records as exist. 

 "D," writing to the Gardener's Monthly, says that he 

 had "only about two pears to each plant, among literally 

 hundreds of blossoms." Orchard and Garden com- 

 ments upon this feature as follows: "The general ex- 

 perience with it here [New Jersey], thus far, seems to 

 justify us in calling it exceedingly shy in setting fruit, and 

 if this tendency to abortive blooming cannot be over- 

 come, the melon pear must be considered without practi- 

 cal value." These remarks are certainly counter to the 

 statements and pictures made by some seedsmen in re- 

 gard to its productiveness. Professor Munson, as we 

 have seen, has found it to be fairly productive under 

 glass when grown in a low temperature. 



