Description of the Petre Pear. 587 



care and cultivation, any quantity might be produced. When 

 we visited the island, we purchased the prepared arrow-root 

 at 2d. per lb., and a missionary there informed us, that he 

 would engage to procure any given quantity at \\d. per lb., 

 which is, I believe, much less than it can be purchased at 

 either in the East or the West Indies. Its quality is excel- 

 lent ; I should say equal to that of the East Indies, and far 

 superior to that of Chile, with which I have, since my return, 

 had an opportunity of comparing it. Though there are, at 

 present, many English and North Americans upon the island, 

 I am sorry to say that but few of them have set the natives 

 the example of industry that might have been expected ; even 

 the missionaries themselves are still backward in that respect. 

 As I am likely to remain some years longer in Peru, I 

 have deferred sending you any remarks on the state of agri- 

 culture and horticulture in that country, till I become better 

 acquainted with the manners and customs of the inhabitants ; 

 but as I am now in possession of a property of about fifty 

 acres, which I am working, and in which I have all the fruits 

 common to the country, I hope to be able shortly to furnish 

 you with something novel and interesting respecting it. 



I remain, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Lima, Dec. 23. 1832. Andrew Mathews. 



Art. XXIX. Description of the Petre Pear, ajine Seedling Butter 

 Pear, cidtivated in the Bartram Botanic Garden, near Philadel- 

 phia. By Colonel Robert Carr, Proprietor of that Garden. 



Petre Pear {Jig- 120., full size). — A middle-sized tree; 

 branches smooth and brown ; leaves on long slender petioles. 

 Narrow leaves, oblong lanceolate, base acute, end acuminate, 

 hardly crenate, entire at the base, about 2 in. long, very 

 smooth, midrib yellow. Fruit clustered two or three ; pedun- 

 cle curved, brown, half an inch. Pear oboval, truncate at 

 both ends, 3 or 4 in. long, swelled at top. Skin thin, greenish 

 yellow, with small pale spots. Inside white, soft, juicy, 

 melting, like a butter pear ; delicious flavour, peculiar, very 

 slightly musky, and vinous. 



The tree which produces the above exquisite fruit was 

 raised from a seed, received in a letter from Lord Petre of 

 England, about the year 1735, and planted by Mr. Bartram 

 near one end of the dwelling-house, at the edge of a gravel 

 walk, where it has never received any manure or rich earth. 

 The roots extend to the walls of the house. The tree has 



