284 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



Master Richard Pointer," he says, " has them all grow- 

 ing in his ground at Twicknani, near London, who is a 

 most cunning and curious grafter and planter of all man- 

 ner of rare fruits ; and also in the ground of an excellent 

 grafter and painful planter, Master Henry Banbury, of 

 Touthill-street, neere vnto Westminster ; and likewise in 

 the ground of a diligent and most affectionate louer of 

 plants, Master Warner, neere Hornsey Down, by Lon- 

 don ; and in divers other grounds about London." 



Miller mentions eighty varieties of the pear in his day, 

 and, at the present time, they are so much increased, that 

 Mr. Lee, of Hammersmith, assured the author that he 

 possessed two hundred and thirteen kinds of pear-trees. 

 At the close of the seventeenth century the French_ gar- 

 deners reckoned about seven hundred different sorts : of 

 which, however, scarcely more than fifty were of superior 

 quality. Thus, few trees, under the guidance of man, 

 have exhibited so many varieties ; and we trust that, 

 while the Horticultural Society are seeking for new kinds, 

 those of established fame will not be neglected. It is 

 desirable to have our orchards planted with a variety, that 

 we may have some for all seasons and for various pur- 

 poses ; but it is equally to be wished that the best of 

 each sort should be selected,' not only of the dessert 

 kinds, but those for baking and preserving, as well as 

 those for making perry, which is one of the justly-ad- 

 mired British beverages. 



" And taste revived, 



The breath of orchard big with bending fruit 

 Obedient to the breeze and beaten ray, 

 From the deep-loaded bough a mellow shower 

 Incessant melts away. The juicy pear 

 Lies, in a soft profusion, scattered round. 

 A various sweetness swells the gentle race, 



