PEAR. 199 



PEAR. 



Pyrus communis. — Foirier, Fr. — Birnbaum, Grer. 

 The present period is a very exciting one on the culture of 

 this fruit, which ranks in flavor next to the Peach ; but in 

 point of healthfulness and general utility, for domestic pur- 

 poses, it will be second to the Apple. In its wild state it is 

 equally disseminated with that fruit, but we doubt of its cul- 

 ture ever being so universal, it being more subject to diseases, 

 especially to blight. Some soils are entirely noxious to it, 

 while others nourish it to extreme old age. It is also longer 

 in coming to a fruit-bearing state than the Apple, though some 

 of the recent kinds appear to produce fruit as early as the 

 third or fourth years from the bud, and frequently the second 

 year from the graft. As a dessert, or table fruit, it is prefera- 

 ble to the Apple, and is also very important for cooking pur- 

 poses. In some countries Perry is made from the fruit, in the 

 same manner that we do cider, for which purpose there are 

 special productive varieties. Within the past twenty years 

 the immense multiplication of sorts renders it a very intricate 

 task to select, from the multitude, a few well adapted for gen- 

 eral cultivation, because the variety that does best in some sec- 

 tions of the country nearly fails in others, and those that are 

 described from the fruit, as being the best in size and flavor, 

 on trial prove to be the worst in productiveness. One of the 

 most celebrated horticulturists of the age, who does all his 

 " own thinking," writing to me from " Boston, September 20, 

 1846," says: '• There is, in my view, too much of a rage for 

 new fruits, and the old superior varieties are neglected. Of 

 Pears they have here near two hundred varieties, and possibly 

 twenty of fair quality." I will however give an outline de- 

 scription of a few, slightly transcending that limited number, 

 and vouch for all of them being of the very best. 



Summer Pears. Madeline. — Fruit pear-shaped, rather un- 

 der the medium size, with a long foot-stalk. Color pale yel- 

 9* 



