1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



177 



VIOAR OP WINKFIELD. 



The pear of which the above engraving is a por- 

 trait, grew in the grounds of Col. Wilder, of Dor- 

 chester, and was presented us for the especial pur- 

 pose to which we have devoted it. Downing's ac- 

 count of it is, that it was discovered as a natural 

 seedling in the woods of Clion, France, by a French 

 curate, whence it obtained the name of Le Cure, 

 or Monsieur le Cure. It was afterward imported 

 into England by the Rev. Mr. Rham, of Winkfield, 

 and cultivated and disseminated from thence, be- 

 coming known in the neighborhood of London as 

 the Vicar of Winhfitld. It is called; therefore, in 

 the books by each of the three names which are 



given in italics. And by Kenrick, it is called Clion, 

 after the name of the place in which it was found 

 growing wild. 



Different cultivators accord to it different mer- 

 its. Mr. Downing says that with him it was al- 

 ways large, fair and handsome, and a first rate 

 baking pear ; occasionally fine as a table pear, but 

 generally astringent and only third rate for this 

 purpose. Its great productiveness, hardiness, and 

 fine size, will always give it a prominent place m 

 the orchard as a profitable, market, cooking pear. 

 The tree grows thriftily, with drooping fruit branch- 

 es. Shoots diverging, dark olive. 



Thomas, in his Fruit CuUurist, speaks well of 



