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Pears that are to be kept for the winter 

 use, should hang as long on the trees as the 

 state of the weather will allow. They should 

 then be put in a heap, in an open and dry 

 situation, for about ten days; then wiped 

 dry with a woollen cloth, and packed close 

 from the air and moisture. But to keep this 

 fruit in it's greatest perfection, small earthen 

 jars should be selected, about the size of 

 the pear, which should be packed separately 

 in clean oat chaff, and tied down with skin, 

 or brown paper cemented with pitch. These 

 jars should then be packed in a chest, or 

 dry closet, with the bottom upwards. Pears 

 are found more generally productive when 

 grafted[on quince stocks, than upon those of 

 their own kind or the white thorn. 



The timber of the pear-tree is of a yel- 

 lowish colour, and is used for making car- 

 penters' tools, measuring rulers, picture frames, 

 and a variety of purposes. Gerard says, " the 

 timber of the wild pear is very firm and 

 solid, and good to be cut into moulds/' The 

 plates in his book were cut out of this wood, 

 as were, says he, " breastplates for English 

 gentlewomen/' 



