200 Mr. J. Hardy on the Antiquity of some Border Pears. 



Deans' Pippin, which is likewise an excellent apple. Mr. 

 Deans was the first to introduce into Jedburgh Williams' 

 Bon Chretien Pear, a graft of which was sent him in a letter 

 from London, and it has been found to suit the locality un- 

 commonly well. We observed a specimen of the Doyenne 

 du Cornice Pear, which is, we believe, the only one in the 

 district ; and the Marie Louise is likewise to be seen in 

 perfection. Some kinds of Plums, including the Golden 

 Drop and the Victoria, may also be noticed in great excel- 

 lence. In fact, the Anna Nursery contains a compendious 

 treasury of all in the shape of fruit and flower that long 

 experience and keen observation have shown to be suitable 

 for the district ; and Mr. Deans, who has been its maker, 

 and of whose genius it is a true embodiment, is one of the 

 most genial and pleasant men one could desire to meet. 



On the Antiquity and History of some Border Pears. 

 By James Hardy. 



Being desirous of knowing the origin of some of the oldest 

 varieties of Pears, I found there was a vacant space in our 

 literature ; and it was only after ransacking many old writers 

 on botany, that any allusions to the period of their intro- 

 duction occurred. The scanty results of my inquiries, so 

 far as concerns the kinds cultivated on the Borders, I append 

 as supplementary to the preceding paper. Although I 

 possess numerous works 'on ancient botany, I have not 

 many on gardening, so that some notices may have escaped. 

 This attempt, however, may be useful as preliminary to 

 more accurate investigation, and the information may be 

 new to others, as it was to me. Several of the Scotch 

 varieties, like those of other countries, are peculiar to the 

 districts in which they have been raised; and obtaining 

 only a local notoriety, their history will always remain 

 obscure*. 



1. Bon-Chretien. The Bon-Chretien is by some com- 

 mentators on Pliny identified with his Pomponian Pear 



* " Certum autem quamlibct regionem jactare sua pyra."— S. Paulli. 



