No. 2. 



Winter Pears. 



53 



Winter Pears. 



In answer to the query, "which he considers the 

 best five varieties of winter pears?" M. P. Wilder, the 

 President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 names as " the result of many years experience," the 

 Beurri d'Aremberg, the Winter JVelis, the Columbia, the 

 Olout Morceau, and the Passe Colmar. The first of 

 these he considers the "prince of pears." We take 

 the following descriptions of these fine varieties from 

 Datcning's Horticulturist. This opportunity is em- 

 braced to remind our farmers in this vicinity, that 

 Philadelphia is very scantily supplied with winter 

 pears. Indeed, it is scantily supplied with pears of 

 any kind. They always, therefore, command a high 

 price, and are well worth the attention of the enter- 

 prising farmer. — Ed. 



1. Beurre d^ Aremberg. — This variety has, 

 for the last ten years, never failed to yield 

 me an abundant crop of its delicious fruit. 

 It has often been exhibited at the rooms of 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, al- 

 ways receiving the unqualified approbation 

 of our most experienced amateurs and cul- 

 tivators. Possessing all the characteristics 

 of a first rate table pear, it retains at matu- 

 rity its flavour and champagne sprightliness, 

 with all the freshness of a specimen just 

 plucked from the tree. The foliage and 

 fruit adhere with a remarkable tenacity, re- 

 sisting the frosts and gales of autumn better 

 than those of most other varieties. As a 

 constant, prolific, hardy sort, the d'Arem- 

 berg is unsurpassed, and whether on the 

 pear or quince stock, proves admirably 

 adapted to this climate. It keeps as well 

 as a Russet apple, and requires no ftirther 

 care than to gather in a dry day, and pack 

 at once from the air, in close boxes or bar- 

 rels — with no other precaution, it has been 

 found in a state of perfect preservation in 

 the month of January. Season, December 

 to February. The Beurre d'Aremberg is a 

 fruit easily excited to maturity, and may be 

 brought into eating in November, or retarded 

 until March. 



2. Winter Nelis. — This is classed second 

 in my list, not from any inferiority to the 

 first named variety; for in fact, as a sweet, 

 melting winter pear, it has no equal. Con^ 

 noisseurs generally prefer the brisk, vinous 

 juice of the d'Aremberg, but some of our 

 good judges esteem the Nelis above all 

 others of the season. 



The growth of the tree is not strong, but 

 more so on the quince, to which it seems 

 well adapted ; it is hardy and thrifty in rich 

 soils, otherwise the shoots are more stinted 

 and feeble than is usual with most other 

 sorts. To obtain specimens above medium 

 size, requires high cultivation and some 

 thinning of the fruit. Keeps and ripens 



well, and bears good crops. Season, No- 

 vember to January. 



3. Columbia. — This excellent native va- 

 riety has proved with me a fruit more uni- 

 formly smooth, perfect in shape, and free 

 from the depredations of insects, than almost 

 any other sort. The tree is thrifty and hardy, 

 not prolific when young, but a great bearer 

 on mature subjects, the fruit being regularly 

 distributed over the branches, and of very 

 uniform size. I was so much pleased with 

 this variety when it first came to my notice, 

 that I despatched a special messenger from 

 the city of New York to the owner of the 

 original tree in Westchester county, for half 

 a bushel of the pears; and I did not regret 

 the expense of twelve and a half dollars, 

 when I consider the acquisition of such a 

 fine American variety. My Beurre Diels 

 were then in eating, and I judged the Co- 

 lumbia of equal quality; since which, how- 

 ever, I have seldom seen it so good. Ripens 

 about the first of January; of a clear lemon 

 yellow, very handsome, and may be kept 

 two or three weeks in this state. Its beauty 

 will give it a ready sale, and its quality and 

 its merits, on the whole, if not as high as 

 our first impression, will prove perfectly sat- 

 isfactory. 



4. Glout Morceau. — This pear, under the 

 name of Beurre d'Aremberg, is more univer- 

 sally cultivated in France as a winter fruit, 

 than any other variety. It is truly an ex- 

 cellent, rich, sugary pear, and is not unwor- 

 thy of the appellation given it. Tiie tree is 

 hardy, a great and constant bearer; but it 

 requires, like most pears, good cultivation. 

 Few varieties succeed so well on the quince 

 as the Glout Morceau ; a tree of which, in 

 my own ground, annually produces a barrel 

 of large perfect fruit; this is clear waxy 

 yellow, and very handsome at maturity; 

 keeps into the winter months, with ordinary 

 care; commands as good a price in the mar- 

 ket, and is esteemed by many equal to the 

 Beurre d'Aremberg. It varies much in 

 form. In growth, it is more luxuriant on 

 the quince; the large specimens frequently 

 having a very thick, short stem, set angu- 

 larly on the fruit, with the peculiar knobby 

 appearance of the d'Aremberg. On the 

 pear stock and under medium cultivation, 

 the stem is smooth and straight, as figured 

 by Thompson in the Gardener's Chronicle, 

 and Downing in the Fruits and Fruit Trees 

 of America. From this circumstance the 

 present subject has been confounded with 

 the Beurre d'Aremberg. Season, December 

 and January. 



5. Passe Colmar. — As a hardy, vigorous, 

 excellent pear, the Passe Colmar has few 

 superiors. It is prolific to a fault, and re» 



