The Grand Bretagne and Verulam Pears. 265 



THE GRAND BRETAGNE AND VERULAM PEARS. 



BY JAMES SNOWDEN. 



I HAVE just devoured (December 30th), my last pear of a variety 

 I received from abroad, under the title of Grand Bretagm. In 



exterior appear- 

 ance it bears a 

 marked resem- 

 blance to the 

 Beurre D'Anjou — 

 indeed, so strong 

 is the likeness, that 

 were it not for the 

 lateness of its ma- 

 turity, I might be- 

 lieve it synony- 

 mous with the lat- 

 ter kind. The tree 

 grows stout and 

 vigorously, with 

 dark, yellow 

 shoots, which 

 stand very erect. 

 This valuable pro- 

 perty will much 

 enhance it in the 

 estimation of nur- 

 serymen, who are 

 rapidly losing all 

 conceit of trees 

 that form tortuous branches, as they sadly disparage the profits 

 of their products. 



The Grand Bretagne is of the largest size ; form, obtuse, obo- 

 vate ; skin, greenish yellow, with russet dots just perceptible ; 

 stem, half an inch in length, and quite stout, inserted in a mode- 

 rately deep basin ; calyx, open with flaring short segments, expos- 

 ing a tolerably deep hollow ; flesh, fine, juicy, buttery and melt- 

 ing ; core, small in comparison to the size of the exterior flesh 



