54 FKUIT TKKES. 



leaves sinootli, of a mean size, crimped on the side of the mid- 

 dle nerve, borne on petioles (the stem of tlie leaf) rather long 

 than short, the youngest in the spring remaining a long time di- 

 rectly against the bud, the others expanded, hollowed into a gut- 

 ter from the bottom towards the top, but not their whole length. 



2. Bad iirognostics. — Branches and twigs confused, pro- 

 truding like those of the hornbeam, thorns short without eyes ; 

 leaves averted from the bud, from their first appearing small 

 round, terminating in a short point, guttered their whole length. 

 These characteristics indicate small fruit, sweet, dry and late, 

 fit only for baking. 



3. Prognostics of early fruit. — Wood large, short ; buds 

 large and near. 



4. Prognostics of late fruit. — Wood slim, branches well 

 distributed, pendant, the shoots a little knotted, generally denote 

 late delicious fruit ; with leaves round, point short, stiff, of a 

 deep green, borne on petioles of mean length, are analogous 

 signs, but less sure. 



Van Mons remarks, that among the new pears which he has 

 obtained, there are some which were several years in taking a 

 fixed form ; that several did not assume one for from twelve to 

 fifteen years, and that others never did. Our old varieties, 

 without doubt, have been in the same situation, and he gives as 

 an example of pears that have never assumed a determinate 

 form, our Bon Cretien de Hiver. Still it is most easily recog- 

 nized, notwithstanding the variation in its form and size. 



