Descriptions of Select Varieties of Pears. 451 



and cannot be compared with any other variety. Its flesh is 

 sUghtly firm, yet perfectly melting ; and its flavor, without 

 being highly perfumed, appears to be a concentration of that 

 of several sorts, being almost as sugary as the Seckel, yet 

 relieved by the refreshing aroma of the Marie Louise, and the 

 " champagne" smack of the d'Aremberg. It is as distinct in 

 character as the Seckel. 



The Brandy wine is a native of Chaddsford, Delaware Co., 

 Pa. tThe original tree was found near a fence on the farm of 

 the late Eli Harvey, and was transplanted into the garden of 

 Mr. George Brinton, of that place. This garden is on the 

 banks of the Brandywine river, and is a part of the grounds 

 occupied by the American army who defended our country 

 in the battle of Brandywine. It was, therefore, very appropri- 

 ately named the Brandywine pear. The original tree begun 

 to bear fruit as long ago as 1820, but in 1835, the tree blew 

 down near the surface of the ground. The present tree is a 

 sucker, which begun to bear again in 1844. This fact ac- 

 counts for its not sooner having become known to cultivators. 

 Previous to 1835, when the tree blew down, very little in- 

 terest was felt in regard to our native pears ; now, that inter- 

 est is universal, and no sooner had the sucker which sprung 

 from its root come into fruit, than its merits were at once 

 made known to all cultivators. 



The tree is a vigorous grower, with a handsome pyramidal 

 habit. The shoots are very upright, almost like the Bufl'um. 

 The leaves are small, deep green, curled somewhat, and 

 glossy. Wood, dark reddish brown. 



Size, medium, about two inches and three quarters long, 

 and two and a half in diameter : Form, pyramidal, or some- 

 what bell-shaped, slightly irregular, full at the crown, which 

 is little oblique, and rather suddenly contracted near the stem, 

 occasionally with an elongated neck: /SAri/i, slightly rough, 

 yellowish green in the shade, russeted around the crown, 

 boldly tinged with bright red in the sun, and thickly covered 

 with large russety specks : Stem, rather long, about one and 

 a half inches in length, moderately stout, slightly curved, 

 and generally obliquely attached, without any cavity, by 



