winter pears. 259 



Class II. — Obscure pyriform, obovate, or turbinate. 



Sectio7t I. — Large Pears. 



Columbia. {Syn. Columbian Virgalieu, Columbia Virgou- 

 leuse.) Large, long obovate, regular, handsomely round- 

 ed or obtuse, largest near the middle ; surface pale green, 

 becoming pale yellow, always smooth and fair ; stalk an 

 inch and a quarter long, rather slender ; cavity narrow, 

 deep ; calyx erect, basin small ; flesh white, melting, and 

 buttery, of moderately rich, second-rate or third-rate fla- 

 vor. Ripens early winter. Growth upright, vigorous, 

 shoots, brownish yellow. The large, handsome fruit, and 

 the great productiveness of the tree has rendered this 

 variety popular and profitable for market. It does not ap- 

 pear to succeed so well as far north as Boston and Roches- 

 ter, as further south. A native of Westchester County, 

 New- York. 



Easter Beurrc. (Syn. Doyenne d'Hiver, Bergamotte de la 

 Pentacote, Beurre de la Pentacote, Beurre de Paques, 

 Chaumontel tres gros, Canning, Seigneur*d Hiver.) Large, 

 obovate, approaching oval; surface yellowish-green, with 

 some russet; often a broad, dull reddish cheek; stalk 

 stout, an inch long, cavity deep, sometimes obtuse, ab- 

 rupt ; calyx small, closed in a moderate or rather shallow, 

 plaited basin; flesh fine-grained, very buttery, melting 

 and juicy, and when w^ell grown and ripened, of excellent, 

 first-rate flavor. It does not often mature well in the 

 northern states. Keeps through winter. Growth strong, 

 rather upright, shoots reddish-yellow ; leaves narrow, 

 folded, recurved. Grows well on the quince. Fig. 180. 



Knighfs Monarch. Large, regular, obovate ; surface yel- 

 lowish-brown, reddish to the sun, dots numerous ; stalk 

 very short, half an inch long, thick; set on the rounded 

 base with little or no cavity ; basin shallow ; flesh buttery, 

 melting, rich, of fine quality. Mid-winter. Shoots yel- 

 lowish. Scarcely as yet proved in this country, spurious 

 sorts having been widely disseminated. English. 



