goo pyRUS. [CLASS XII. ORDER II. 



This is the origin of our Pears, which are well known to be almost 

 innumerable both in appearance and quality. Changes are produced by- 

 care and cultivation, rendering a naturally austere unpleasant fruit, one 

 of the most delightful that is brought to table. The wood is fine 

 grained, light, and durable, and is much esteemed by turners for fine 

 work, bobbins, &c. 



The Romans had about thirty-six sorts of Pears, but now there are 

 about eight hundred, many of which, however, are not worth culti- 

 vating. They are divided into dessert and baking fruits, melling or 

 butter fruits, breaking and perry fruits. 



The expressed juice of the Pear, when fermented, forms the beverage 

 known by the name of perry, the making of which is chiefly confined 

 to Worcestershire, where the kinds most approved for this purpose 

 are cultivated; and of such importance, it would appear, was this 

 commodity considered, that the figures of three Pears forms a part of 

 the armorial bearings of the city of Worcester. 



2. P. Ma'lus, Linn. (Fig. 788 ) Crah-apple. Leaves simple, ovate, 

 acutely crenated, rugose, smooth or downy beneath ; flowers in simple 

 sessile umbels; fruit smooth, globose. 



English Botany, t. 179— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 363.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 196.— Lindley, Synopsis, p. 105. 



A low tree, with spreading much divided and irregular branches, 

 without thorns, the bark smooth, greyish brown. Leaves alternate, 

 simple, ovate or elliptic ovate, wiih a short acuminated point, some- 

 what rugose, with acutely crenated margins, when young downy, 

 especially beneath, petiole with linear stipules, united to the base. 

 Inflorescence in sessile umbels, with smooth sometimes downy pedun- 

 cles and calyx. Petals varying from white to pale delicate pink or 

 rose colour, fragrant, ovate, with a short claw. Stamens with slender 

 awl-shaped filaments, and roundish ovate two celled anthers, of a pink 

 colour. Styles five, united at the base, and more or less downy. 

 Fruit globose, depressed at the top and bottom in an umbilicated 

 manner. 



Habitat. — Woods and hedges ; not unfrequent. 



Tree; flowering in May. 



The Apple is one of our most important orchard fruits, and is of 

 more value than any other, chiefly from the circumstance of its 

 keeping a much longer time without any other precaution than that of 

 gathering them quite dry, and without bruising them and keeping 

 them in a place free from damp and frost. With these precautions 

 many sorts may be kept in a perfect state of preservation for the use 

 of the kitchen and as a dessert, until the spring fruits are ripe. The 

 expressed juice of the unripe Apples, and especially that of the Wild- 

 crab, is extremely acid and austere. The latter is known by the 

 name of verjuice, and has been used as a domestic remedy for the 

 cure of scalds and sprains. All the species of Apples abound with a 



