PLANTS CULTIVATED FOR THEIR FRUITS. 233 



centre of France. It was named Pyrus nivalis by 

 Jacquin^ from the German name Schneebirn, given to it 

 because the Austrian peasants eat the fruit when the 

 snow is on the ground. It is called in France Poirier 

 saur/er, because the under side of the leaves is covered 

 with a white down which makes them like the sage (Fr. 

 sauge). Decaisne^ considered all the varieties of P. 

 nivalis to be derived from P. kotschyana, Boissier,^ 

 which grows wild in Asia Minor. The latter in this 

 case should take the name of nivalis, which is the older. 



The snowy pears cultivated in France to make the 

 drink called perry have become wild in the woods here 

 and there.* They constitute the greater number of the 

 so-called " cider pears," which are distinguished by the 

 sour taste of the fruit independent of the character of the 

 leaf. The descriptions of the Greeks and Romans are too 

 imperfect for us to be certain if they possessed this 

 sjiecies. It may be presumed that they did, however, 

 since they made cider.^ 



Sandy Pear, Chinese Pear Pyrus sinensis, Lindley.^ 



I have already mentioned this species, which is nearly 

 allied to the common pear. It is wild in Mongolia and 

 Mantchuria,^ and cultivated in China and J apan. Its fruit, 

 large rather than good, is used for preserving. It has also 

 been recently introduced into European gardens for 

 experiments in crossing it with our species. This will 

 very likely take place naturally. 



Apple Pyrus Mains, Linnteus. 



The apple tree grows wild throughout Europe 



' Jacquin, Flora Ausfriaca, ii. pp. 4, 107. 



* Decaisne, Jardin Fruitier du Museum, Poiriers, pi. 21. 



* Decaisne, ihid., p. 18, and Introduction, p. 30. Several varieties 

 of this species, of which a few bear a large fruit, are figm-ed in the same 

 work. 



* Boreau, Fl. du Centre de la France, edit. 3, vol. ii. p. 236. 



* Palladius, De re Rustica, lib. 3, c. 25. For this purpose " pira 

 Hiilvestria vel asperi generis" were used. 



* The Chinese quince had been called by Thonin Pyrus sinensis. 

 Lindley has unfortunately given the same name to a true pyrus. 



' Decaisne {Jardin Fruitier du Museum, Poiriers, pi. 5) saw speci- 

 mens from both countries. Frauchet and Savatier give it as only 

 cultivated in Japan. 



