370 Pomological Notices ; 



cultivation, attain a much larger size than that here repre- 

 sented. 



Size^ large, three inches long and two and three quarters 

 in diameter : Form, obovate, largest in the middle, tapering 

 little towards the eye as well as the stem : Skhi, fair, thick, 

 uneven, dull 3'cllowish green, covered with greenish and 

 rnssett points, with scattered, irregular patches of russett, 

 interlaced where thickest: the sunny side covered with 

 bright red, occasionally appearing in longitudinal streaks : 

 ^Ste7)i, medium length, one inch, greenish brown, with a 

 knobby surface, inserted obliquely in a shallow cavity, and 

 forced one side by a wrinkled, fleshy protuberance : Bye, 

 large, open, considerably sunk ; segments of the calyx broad 

 and long : Flesh, yellowish, coarse, buttery, melting and 

 juicy : Flavor, rich, slightly perfumed and excellent : Core, 

 large : Seeds, large, dark brown. Ripe in September. 



18. CusmNG. A^. E. Farmer, Vol. VIII. p. 113. 



The Gushing pear was first introduced to notice in the 

 fall of 1829, when specimens of the fruit were exhibited at 

 the first annual show of the Mass. Hort. Soc. The original 

 tree was then, and we presume is now, growing at Hing- 

 ham, Mass. on the farm of Col. Washington Gushing. Mr. 

 Downer, who was the first to give an account of it in the 

 N. E. Farmer, visited Hingham on purpose to see the tree, 

 and learn its history; and ou his return published a de- 

 scription of it, accompanied by an engraving, at the page 

 above quoted. He has also described it in an early volume 

 of our Alagazine (I. p. 90.) To Mr. Downer the public are 

 much indebted for the interest he manifested in the intro- 

 duction of new native varieties of pears to our gardens. 

 The Dix, Glap, Lewis. Andrews, Heatlicote and others, were 

 first described by him in the N. E. Farmer, and scions pro- 

 cured for distribution among cultivators. 



According to a letter of Benjamin Thomas, Esq. of Hing- 

 ham, the original tree of the Gushing pear sprang up from 

 seed accidentally. It appeared in 1829 to be about 40 

 years old. It had not tlicn ever been pruned, nor had the 

 ground been broken around the roots. There was no ap- 

 pearance whatever of its having been grafted or budded. 

 But notwithstanding such ordinary treatment, it had yearly 

 produced fourteen bushels of good fruit. The size of tree 



