THE JAPAX QUINCE. 31 



round, and about the size of a Tangerine orange ; they 

 ripen off a dull green colour, and are then very fragrant 

 and as hard as flints. Wlien cut up they are found to be 

 packed with large dark pips, around which is a broad rim 

 of flesh of a most uninviting character, the flax'our being 

 rough and styptic. 



Within the past few years a number of fine varieties 

 of this pyrus have been brought into cultivation, but 

 whether imported originally from Japan, or raised in Con- 

 tinental nurseries, we are not prepared to assert. But we 

 ciiii say that they are beautiful, and much to be desired 

 as garden trees. They comprise scarlet, flesh-coloured, 

 pink, mottled, and pure white flowere, one being semi- 

 double, and all having the free-blooming habit of the 

 crimson variety that may be regarded as the type. The 

 best place, generally speaking, for these would be a warm 

 dwarf wall ; but they might be trained as cordons to 

 make boundary lines, in a case where such things were 

 needed, and of course as flowering shrubs for a trellis 

 they would be equally interesting and beautiful. 



This pyrus is like the rest of its family in requiring a 

 good soil, a deep moist loam suiting it exactly. But it is 

 not fastidious, and will generally thrive where any other 

 crab or quince can hold its own. 



Having named Pijrits speclahHiH and 2lahni flor'ihiinda 

 as beautiful hardy trees, it may be well to add the names 

 of other species that have similar claims to attention 

 for their ornamental qualities. Pj/riis prurnfoHa is the 

 Siberian crab, a charming tree for the knoll or woodland, 

 the fruits of which make a delicious preserve ; P//r»v 

 cornriiir'ia is the American crab; P//nifi /jaccutd is the cherry 

 crab. Pyrus aria, the white beam tree, is a splendid 



