206 



The Bergamot Seckd. 



with short joined bearing wood, just such as most makes the gard- 

 ener's heart glad. And then 

 in the autumn it is a per- 

 fect show of brown cheek- 

 ed tempting pears, not 

 very large, to be sure, but 

 they remarkably verify the 

 old saying "short and 

 sweet." I have four trees j 

 of the seckel pear, which 

 I procured directly fromi 

 nurserymen in the United 

 States ; they have grown 

 finely and are at present 

 quite large, bearing pro- 

 fusely every season. 

 The seckel was a great favorite of my former friend the 

 Isde Mr. Williams of Pitmaston. He was a thorough pomologist, 

 and took great delight in crossing the more estimable sorts of 

 pear, in order to induce new varieties of merit ; his success was 

 quite variable. In nearly all of his experiments he used the 

 Seckel for either oue or the other parent. I have fruited one of 

 his seedlings originated by crossing the Bergamot, an old varie- 

 ty, with the Seckel ; therefore, it is named after both parents, 

 "Bergamot Seckel," as it betrays each of their respective charac- 

 teristics. The fruit in flavor resembles the Seckel, while in shape 

 it is almost an exact countei'part of the Bergamot. With good 

 cultivation, it attains the medium size, though generally below. 

 In figure it is oval and very regular ; Calyx very short and stifi", 

 it is planted in a shallow basin. 



The stalk is thick, short, and inserted slantendicularly without 

 any depression. The skin is of a redisli brown, very finely mark- 

 ed with specks of russet, which increase in number in the vicinity 

 of the stalk. Flesh white, juicy, sugary, witli alltlie spicy flavor 

 of the seckel. 



My specimens the past season where in eating the middle of 

 November. If the keeping properties of the Bergamot Seckel 

 were equal to either of its parents, I should give it the preference. 

 The drawing I send you was taken from a medium size pear. 



