PEARS. 13 



fruit, and about an inch in length ; the skin is thin, of a very 

 pale yellow on the shade side, and bright red on that next the 

 sun ; the flesh is half-melting, not high flavoured, and is with- 

 out much juice. This pear ripens in July, and the tree grows 

 much more vigorously on a pear stock than on the quince. 



MADELEINE. PK. CAT. Roz. Dun. POM.MAG. MIL. FOR. COXE. 



Madelaine, and Madeline. 



Magdeleine. 



Magdalen. For. syn. 



Citron des Carmes. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. For. and others. 



Green Chisel, of Miller, and of most American gardens. 



Poire hastiveau, or hativeau. > m erroneousl 



Hasting pear, ) 



Early Chaumontelle, of some American collections. 



Duhamel thus describes this most excellent fruit, which is 

 said to have received its name from its ripening about the 

 period of the fete de St. Madeleine. The pear is twenty-five 

 lines in height and twenty-four in diameter, and its form is 

 precisely that of a top. The peduncle is very long, often two 

 inches ; the eye, which is nearly even with the base of the fruit, 

 is surrounded by slight furrows ; the skin, which is at first 

 entirely green, becomes of a pale lemon colour when the fruit 

 is at maturity, and occasionally, but not often, acquires a slight 

 tint of red on the sunny side. The flesh is white and very 

 delicate, perfectly melting and sweet, with a slightly perfumed 

 flavour, accompanied by a small degree of acidity which ren- 

 ders it extremely agreeable. It may justly be ranked among 

 the most estimable of the early fruits, being surpassed by none 

 and equalled by but few of them. The growth of the tree is 

 very vigorous, and its whole appearance particularly flourish- 

 ing, and it is remarkable for its erect and stately form ; these 

 several characters so distinguish it, that it cannot well be mis- 

 taken for any other. The seeds are of a brownish red colour, 

 and the fruit ripens towards the end of July. It can be in- 

 grafted on both quince and pear. The fruit does not last 

 long, but keeps only a few days when gathered before it be- 

 comes soft. 



