282 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



Syrian, the Alexandrine, the Numidian, the Grecian, the 

 Picentine, the Numantine, &c. &c. :" but of all the pears, 

 he mentions the Crustumine as the most delicate and 

 agreeable ; next to that the Falernian pear was esteemed, 

 and so called for the abundance of juice it produced, 

 which he compares to wine. The Tiberian pears were so 

 named because they were the sort Tiberius the emperor 

 preferred ; others were named after the persons who had 

 introduced or cultivated them; some from the season 

 when they ripened, as the barley-pear, &c. ; and many 

 from their odour, as the aromatic and laurel-pears. 

 " Some are reproached," says he, ft with the name of 

 proud pears, because they are earliest ripe, and will not 

 keep :" there were winter-pears, and pears for baking, &c. 

 " Both pears and apples," continues this author, " have 

 the properties of wine, on which account physicians are 

 careful how they give them to their patients ; but when 

 sodden in wine and water, they are esteemed wholesome." 

 Again he states, book xxiii. chap. 7, " all pears whatso- 

 ever are but a heavy meat, even to those in good health, 

 and the sick are debarred from eating of them ; and yet, 

 if they are well boiled or baked, they are exceedingly 

 pleasant, and moderately wholesome : when sodden or 

 baked with honey, they agree with the stomach." 



Some pears were used as a counterpoison against the 

 venomous mushrooms ; the ashes of the pear-tree wood 

 are also used for the same medicinal purpose. 



The arms of the city of Worcester are, Argent, a Fess 

 between three Pears Sable. This, in all probability, 

 alludes to the early cultivation of this fruit in that neigh- 

 bourhood. 



" This fruit," says Guillim, in his Display of Heraldry, 

 " was ordained for the comfort of man ; but as the devil 

 made use of the apple to the destruction of man, so did 



