1871 



THE POMOLOGIST AND GAUDENER. 



213 



Tbe Flemltib Beautjr, 



Too much cannot be said in praise of tliis fine pear. 

 The accompanj'ing illustration, though not copied 

 from specimens growing upon our own trees at this 

 time, is a life-like representation of the fruit. Of 

 over one hundred trees upon our grounds, embrac- 

 ing several of the most noted varieties, no one sort 

 gives better promise than the Flemish Beauty. 

 Fruit large, fair and handsome, a good tree, hardy 

 and productive. Some of our Wisconsin and Minn- 

 esota correspondents speak in high prai.se of it 

 We believe this pear peculiarly fitted to a lighti.sh 

 soil, for the finest fruit, by all odds that we have 

 ever seen of its variety, has been grown in this city 

 upon a light sandy loam. We took specimens of it 

 to tlie meetingof the American Pomological Society 

 at St. Louis in 1867, which greatly excelled in size 

 and beauty, fruit of the same sort on exliibition 

 from any other section. We copy Downings des- 

 cription of both tree and fruit. As to season, liow- 

 ever, — last of Sei)tember, he errs so far as this sec- 

 tion of country is concerned. The fruit is ripe here 

 earl}' in September. 



"An old Pear, supposed of Belgian origin, 

 although foreign authors conflict in regard thereto. 

 The tree is very luxuriant, hardy, and bears early 

 and abundantly; the young shoots upright, reddish 

 olive brown. The fruit requires to be gathered 

 sooner than most pears, even before it parts readily 

 from the tree. If it is then ripened in the house it 

 is always fine, while, if allowed to mature on the 

 trees, it usually becomes soft, flavorless, and dccaj's 

 soon. 



Fruit large, roundish obovatc obtuse pyriform. 

 Surface a little rough, the ground pale yellow, but 

 mostly covered with marblings and patches of light 

 russett, becoming reddish brown at maturity, on the 

 sunny side. Stalk rather short, from an inch to an 

 inch and a half long, and pretty deeply planted in a 

 peculiarly narrow, round cavitj'. C'al3'x short, open, 

 placed in a small round basin. Fle.sh yellowish 

 white, not very fine-grained, but juicy, melting, 

 very saccharine and rich, with a slight musky flavor. 

 Very good. Last of September. 



Clapp's Favorite, and Other Snniiuer Pears. 



Bt D. B. Weie, Lacon, 111. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener : Some of your 

 readers will recollect the beautiful specimens of the 

 Clapp's Favorite Pear shown by the venerable Presi- 

 dent of the American Pomological Society's meeting 

 at St. Louis in Sept. 1867. Then and there I fell in 

 love with it, and in the spring following I procured 

 dwarf trees of it and grafted scions into bearing 

 dwarf and standard trees of other varieties. These 

 gave me a few specimens last year, and are in fine 

 fruit this year, and since the 25th of July, I- have 



regaled myself with well ripened specimens of the 

 fruit. It more than meets my high anticipations. 

 The trees so far have been perfectly hardy and 

 healthy. Here is Downing's description of it and 

 its fruit. 



"This extremely fine and valuable Pear was 

 raised from the seed by the late Thaddeus Clapp, of 

 Dorchester, iMass. The tree is an upright, spread- 

 ing, vigorous grower, forming an open, well shaped 

 head, in which the fruit is evenly distributed, and 

 almost uniform in size ; very productive ; young 

 shoots dark reddish brown. Fruit large, obovate 

 ovate, slightly obtuse pyriform, surface uneven, 

 skin thin, pale lemon yellow, marbled and faintly 

 splashed with crimson and fawn when fully exposed 

 to the sun, thickly sprinkled with brown dots, and 

 sometimes patches and traces of russet. Stalk 

 nearly an inch long, a little inclined, stout and 

 somewhat fleshy, inserted in a slight depression. 

 Caylix partially closed. Segments stift", erect. Ba- 

 sin shallow, slightly corrugated. Flesh white, fine 

 grained, juicy, buttery, melting, rich, sweet, vinous, 

 a little perfumed, very good. Last of Augu.st or 

 early in September." 



This description answers well, as grown here, 

 only I would say, that if taken from the tree as 

 soon as mature, and properly ripened in the 

 house, best, in place of " very good." It is claimed 

 that this pear is a cross between the FlemLsh 

 Beauty and Bartlett, the tree being very similar to 

 the first, in leaf, color of the wood, and hardiness, 

 though here not so strong a grower ; and the fruit 

 resembling the Bartlett in many respects. It cer- 

 tainly combines all the good qualities of these two 

 most valuable kinds, with, so far as I can see, none 

 of their few faults. I predict for the Clapp a great 

 future in the West. To those who do not under- 

 stand summer pears (and I fear their name is 

 legion) it will have one great fixult, to-wlt: it will 

 not ripen on the tree. But if this is a fault, it 

 extends, so far as my knowledge goes, to all summer 

 pears. Some few, it is true, will ripen into passably 

 gook fruit if allowed to hang on the tree until 

 mellow. But I have found none but are much 

 better every way if taken from the tree as soon as 

 fully grown and somewhat colored, and placed in 

 the house in an even temperature, to ripen. If 

 quite green they should be placed in a dark, close 

 place until they begin to mellow, and then be 

 exposed to the light in the shade. 



The Clapp is one of those which unfortunately 

 will not ripen fit for any use on the tree. It begins 

 to decay at the core before it gets mellow at the 

 surface, but if taken from the tree when grown, or 

 even half grown, it ripens up most deliciou.sly, and 

 assumes the most tempting color, and will remain 

 in fine condition for a long time. It cannot be too 

 strongly impressed on the minds of those who grow 



