418 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



761. PJxus commiinis. 



t T.C.2 Pyraster Wallr. Sched, p. 214,, Gaertn. Fr. t.87. f. 2. Spiny. 



Leaves roundish, acute, sharply serrated, glabrous even when young. 



Tube of the calyx, while young, glabrous. Pome rounded at the 



base. 

 5f P. c. Sfoliis variegatis has variegated leaves. 



Y P. e. \fructu variegdto has the skin of the fruit variegated with yellow 



and white. 



Y P. c. 5. sanguinolenta,the sanguinole Pear, has the flesh of the fruit red 



or reddish ; and, though small and gritty, is not bad to eat when ripe. 



^ V.c, GJldre pleno, Poire de I'Armenie jBo?i. 7rrf. p. 43., has double 

 flowers. 



'i P. c. I'.jdspida; Bon Chretien a Bois jaspe Bon. Jard. edit. 1836, 

 p. 424. ; has the bark of the wooJ striped with yellow. 



I' P. c. 8 sativa Dec. Without spines. This is the cultivated variety, 

 of which there are very numerous subvarieties in gardens. For 

 these DeCandoUe refers us to Miller's Dictionary, and to Du 

 Hamel's Des Arbres Fruiticrs ; but, at the present time, by far the 

 most complete collection in the world, of cultivated pears, is in the 

 garden of the London Horticultural Society ; and they are described 

 in the Fruit Catalogue (edit. 1831) of that body. From this cata- 

 logue Mr. Thompson has made for us the following selection of sorts 

 which are at once deserving of culture as ornamental trees, and as 

 producing fruit of first-rate excellence. 



Suhvarietics. 



Beurre Diel. Leaves large, and flowers very large. A hardy tree, 

 somewhat fastigiate in its shape ; a great bearer, and deserving of 

 extensive cultivation on account of its fruit, independently altoge- 

 ther of its handsome shape and large flpwers. 



Beurre de linns (not Beurree ranee, as commonly written, which means 

 rank, or rancid). Branches spreading, or pendulous. The best 

 very late pear yet known. It bears very well as a standard. 



Bezi de la Motte. Leaves remarkably narrow. 



Glout Morceau. (Jig. 762.) Branches spreading. Head pyramidal. A 

 hardy tree, and a great bearer. The fruit of most excellent flavour, 



