14 



THE MEDLAR 



THE MEDLAR 



been known in the South, especially about 

 New Orleans, for two centuries at least, prob- 

 ably brought there from France by French 

 Jesuits. 



The tree is small but handsome; often, es- 

 pecially in the North, it is a much-branched, 

 twiggy shrub. In central New York it bears 

 showy white blossoms late in May or early in 

 June, when the soft, luxuriant foliage is well 

 out. The roundish or top-shaped fruit is red- 

 dish-brown with firm, austere flesh which is 

 unpalatable until mellowed and sweetened by 

 frost or decay. After the period of decay, 

 called in England bletting, the fruit has a rich 

 subacid flavor much prized by those accus- 

 tomed to it. 



Medlar stocks may be grown from seed; or 

 the varieties may be budded or grafted on the 



pear, quince, or thorn. Usually the seeds will 

 not grow the first year, but require stratifica- 

 tion through this period. Three varieties are 

 grown in England, compiled descriptions of 

 which are herewith given. 



DUTCH. Tree weeping, very handsome and much 

 used as an ornamental. Leaves large, soft, luxuriant. 

 Flowers very large and showy. Fruit large, 2% inches 

 in diameter, ripening in October, edible before Christmas ; 

 not the best in quality, but the most generally grown 

 because of the trefe. 



ROYAL. Tree more upright, with smaller leaves than 

 the former ; more productive. Fruit smaller and scarcely 

 as good as that of Dutch. 



NOTTINGHAM. Tree of upright growth, fewer 

 branches and sparser foliage than in the two former. 

 Fruit smaller, brisker and better flavored, being the best 

 of the medlars. Nottingham is sometimes called the 

 small-fruited medlar to distinguish it from Dutch which 

 is called the large-fruited or monstrous. 



