48 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



Pltmastou Dncbess D'Angouleme. 



In September last, Mr. F. R. Eilioti, of Clevelaud, Ohio, received specimens of this new pear from 

 Mr. John Saul, Washington, D. C, and which Mr. E. thinks is the first fruiting of this new pear in 

 this country, and says of it in the Rural Mtc 

 Yorker: 



The variety is recorded as having been raised 

 by the late John "Williams of Pitmaston, Eng- 

 land, from seed gathered from a Duchess D'An- 

 goulcme, crossed with Glout Morceau, and is set 

 down in the English publications as ripening 

 late in October or early in November. 



The drouth and heat of the present season has 

 doubtless brought It forward earlier than usual i 

 but it must be remembered that pears at Wash- 

 ington, or in Southern Illinois, ripen a month or 

 so earlier than at Boston or Rochester, so that in 

 ordinary seasons we may look for this new and 

 promising viU'iety to ripen from the middle of 

 September to the middle of October. In ap- 

 pearance the pear bears little or no resemblance 

 to the Duchess D'Angouleme, being oblong, ob- 

 ovate, acute pyriform, of large size, with surface 

 slightly undulating; color a pale yellow, mot- 

 tled, dotted, and marbled with thin cinnamon- 

 colored russet, becoming thick and connected 

 around the base of the stem and calyx. The 

 stem is pretty stout, curved, about an inch long, 

 set in a slight oblique cavity. The calyx is large 

 and open, with erect, half-reflexed, separated 

 segment; basin is slightly furrowed, broad, 

 open, and pretty deep. The flesh is whitish, 

 moderately fine grained, with some yellow gran- 

 ules next the core ; buttery rich, sweet, juicy, 

 sprightly ; almost, if not quite, best, according to 

 pomological rules. The core is pretty large and 

 seeds imperfect. 



Xlie Beiirre D'Anjou Pear. 



Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, thus writes to the 

 Country Oentleman: Its merits increase in my 

 estimation every year. In fact, its use extends 

 over many months. Itmay be ripened in October by 

 being placed in a temperature of 60 degrees, or it 

 may be to this date, (Feb. 19th,) in perfection, no 

 other conditions being necessary than those of a 

 cool, dry, north cellar, free from frost. Such also is 

 tlie opinion of Messrs. Elhvanger & Barry, who 

 have just visited me, who also had them in fine 

 order when they left home a few days since. — 

 Whether for my own table or for market, I have no 

 variety that surpasses it, if size and excellence are 

 considered ; and so generally is it now sought for 

 both in this market and New York, that my crop is 

 always engaged before the time for gathering. The 

 d'Anjou sells in New York readily for twenty-five 

 dollars per barrel, as they come from the trees with- 

 out selection, and in Boston at this time commands 



twelve dollars a box of less than a bushel — and ex- 

 cellent and refreshing as the Easter Beurres are 

 from California, my Anjous are in as perfect condi- 

 tion and have kept as well as those. 



Large Peab. — The Boston Cultivator of January 

 14, says a Belle Augevine Pear from the orchard of 

 A. P. Smith & Co., Sacramento, Cal., is on exhibition 

 at the Library room of the Mass. Hort. Society, 

 Boston, that weighed, when picked, 4^ pounds, a 

 few ounces more than one grown here a few years 

 ago. It is a monster in size, and was sent to Col. 

 Marshall P. Wilder, who put it on exhibition. 



Wells still continue dry, or nearly so, in many 

 locaties, as informed. 



