600 The Shenks Pear. 



sylvania — such as Butter pear, Smokehouse, Shenks pear, 

 Watermelon, &c. Shenk's August is a different pear, al- 

 though by some called the same ; it is a much more thrifty 

 grower, with much darker wood than the Hosen Shenk. 

 Having seen a very flattering description of this pear, by Dr. 

 Brinckle, of Philadelphia, and having had several communi- 

 cations in relation to the same, from two of our Pennsylvania 

 friends, I brought the character of the pear before our firm, 

 and we decided last season, to propagate it largely. We now 

 have a fair stock. The fruit you saw, was sent us from the 

 bearing tree in Pennsylvania, from which our grafts and buds 

 came ; and we esteem it not only by far the largest pear of 

 its season, but the best. It is as good as the best Swan's 

 Orange we have ever tasted, and in our opinion, fully equal 

 to the White Doyenne, of which it is supposed to be a seed- 

 ling. Size large ; very juicy ; melting, and refreshing ; and 

 will be a decided favorite as soon as made known to the 

 community. 



How so large and fine a pear, ripening in August, could be 

 confined to so limited an area, we are unable to account for. 

 The original tree is from forty-five to fifty years old, on the 

 farm of Mr. John Shenk, of Waver Township, Pa., who 

 raised three trees from seeds in one pip, all of which came 

 into bearing; one proving worthless; one a second rate fruit, 

 and the other, the fruit we sent you, called " Hosen Shenk 

 pear," which is still thrifty, bearing annually large crops, and 

 growing still, near the smokehouse, from which it was long 

 known as the Smokehouse pear. 



Mr. Shenk is represented as a man of singular character, 

 much devoted to raising new trees and plants, and neglected 

 his farming operations in order to attend to the " smelliyig of 

 watery He went far and near for those who desired his 

 services, and was generally very successful in finding under 

 streams. He wore wide " trotosers,^^ and used to say, that, 

 during his life-time, these same wide-legged pantaloons had 

 been three times in fashion : Hence the name of " Hosen 

 Shenk " — meaning ** Breeches " Shenk. We are indebted to 

 our friend, Mr. J. B. Garber, for the above history. 



