PYRUS 



ROSE OBDEB 



PYEus 407 



tailed. Flowers in May, pink and white, 

 about 1 J in. across. Fruit yellow, 1 in. in 

 diameter, roundish. There are several 

 varieties, the best of which are Bertini, 

 remarkable for its masses of bright- 

 coloured fruits ; cratcBgina, with fruits 

 like the Hawthorn ; and sempervirens, 

 the leaves of which remain long after the 

 others have dropped. The variety aurea 

 has yellow leaves with a green patch in 

 the centre. 



Culture d-c. as above. See also Apple, 

 p. 1042. 



P. Maulei {Cydonia Mcmlei). — A 

 lovely Japanese, somewhat spiny, shrub 

 2-4 ft. high, closely allied to P. japonica, 

 than which it is dwarfer, and smaller 

 leaved. Flowers in April, bright orange- 

 red, numerous, followed by very fragrant 

 orange-yellow fruits I5-2 in. in diameter, 

 which are excellent as a preserve. 



Culture dc. as above. See also Quince, 

 p. 1085. 



P. pinnatifida (P. fennica). — An orna- 

 mental' tree said to be a true native of the 

 Island of Arran. It has oblong leaves 

 5-6 in. long, pinnately cut and toothed 

 especially towards the base, the under 

 surface being covered with hoary down. 

 The white sweet-scented flowers are borne 

 in loose corymbose clusters in May and 

 June, and are succeeded by scarlet fruits 

 about i in. long, which look remarkably 

 pretty in autumn. 



Culture dc. as above, p. 405. 



P. prunifolia (Siberian Crab). — A 

 Siberian tree 20-30 ft. high. Leaves 

 ovate, pointed, serrate, like those of the 

 Cherry tree. Flowers in April and May, 

 white, like those of the Pear. Fruit 

 yellowish, red on the sunny side, borne in 

 great abundance, and of an agreeable 

 acidulous flavour. There are several 

 varieties of the Siberian Crab including a 

 double-flowered one (fiorepleno), a droop- 

 ing one (pendula), and a scarlet-fruited 

 one {fructu cocci/neo). 



Culture etc. as above. See also Apple, 

 p. 1042. 



P. salicifolia. — A beautiful flowering 

 tree 10-30 ft. high, native of Siberia. It 

 has narrow lance-shaped leaves 2-3 in. 

 long, finely toothed on the margins, and 

 more or less hoary on the under surface. 

 The charming pure white flowers, about 

 an inch across, are borne in dense corymbs 

 during the spring months, and their purity 



is enhanced by the dark stamens in the 

 centre. 



P. sinensis {Sa/ndy Pear ; Snow 

 Pear). — A Chinese tree, with leaves like 

 those of the common Pear, but larger, and 

 ahnost evergreen, the young ones being 

 rendered very conspicuous in spring by 

 their bronzy-red tint. Flowers in April, 

 white. Fruit Apple-like, warty, and gritty 

 flavoured. 



Culture dc. as above, p. 405. 



P. Sorbus (Sorbus domestica). — A 

 native of Britain 20-60 ft. high. Leaves 

 pinnate ; leaflets toothed near the apex, 

 cottony beneath. Flowers in May, creamy 

 white. Fruit red, pear-shaped, about 1 in. 

 long, painfully irritable when unripe,, 

 but mellowed and rendered edible by 

 frost. 



Culture do. as above, p. 405. 



P. spectabilis. — A beautiful Chinese 

 tree 20-.S0 ft. high. Leaves oval oblong, 

 serrated, smooth. Flowers in April and 

 May, pale red, large, semi-double when 

 open, in sessile umbels. There is a 

 Japanese variety called Kcddo, with 

 numerous blush-white flowers, wine-red 

 in centre. 



Culture dc. as above, p. 405. 



P. Torminalis.— A tree 10-50 ft. high, 

 native of Britain, Europe, and N. Africa. 

 Leaves 2-4 in. long, oblong ovate or 

 cordate, 6-10-lobed, lobes triangular, 

 pointed. Flowers in April and May, 

 white, I in. across, very numerous. Fruit 

 pear-shaped, greenish-brown, dotted. The 

 \a,rietj pinnatifida has more deeply cut 

 leaves. P. cratmgifolia from N. Italy is 

 closely related, but may be distinguished 

 by the thinner texture of the leaves. The 

 flowers are pure white and very showy. 



Culture dc. as above, p. 405. 



P. vestita (P. lanata; P. nepalensia). 

 Himala/yan Beam, Tree. — A fine tree 

 20-30 ft. high, with large ovate-acute or 

 elliptic leaves, silvery white when young, 

 gradually becoming smooth and shining 

 green. Flowers in April and May, white, 

 in woolly corymbs. Fruit greenish-brown, 

 about the size of a small Cherry. 



Culture dc. as above. 



P. vulgaris {Cydonia vulgaris). — 

 Common Quince. — A native of S. Europe, 

 20 ft. high. Leaves ovate, whitish be- 

 neath. Flowers in May and June, white 

 or pale red, large. Fruit more or less 

 pear-shaped, with a peculiar, rather plea- 



