882 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



Geography. The pear is a native of Europe, and of Western Asia, the 

 Himalayas, and China ; but not of Africa or America. It is found wild in most 

 counties of England, and in Scotland, as far north as Forfarshire ; but, probably, 

 in sonic localities, the apparently wild pears have sprung up from seeds, carried 

 from the gardens of the monasteries, and other religious houses, by birds. It is 

 found in Europe, from Sweden to the Mediterranean; and in Asia, as far east as 

 Japan and China. According to Mirbel, the pear every where accompanies the 

 apple; but, while the latter, or, at least, the variety (or species, as it is con- 

 sidered by some), P. il/alus coronaria, is indigenous to North America, no 

 species or variety of pear has ever been found wild in that country. In Eng- 

 land, according to Gerard, the wild pear is to be found in woods, and on the 

 borders of fields. According to Withering, it grows in hedges and woody 

 wastes. It loves, he says, a fertile soil and sloping ground, and will not thrive 

 well in moist bottoms. It stands the severest winters, and does not destroy 

 the grass growing under it near so much as the apple, on account of its 

 pyramidal growth and descending roots. Near London, it grows in hedge 

 wastes to the north of Finchley ; and, according to H. C. Watson (New Bota- 

 nists' Guide, p. 88.) and Cooper {Flora Metropolitana,p. 27.), it is found about 

 Thames Ditton. 



History. The pear is mentioned, by the earliest writers, as common in 

 Syria, Egypt, and Greece ; from which latter country it appears to have been 

 brought into Italy. Theophrastus speaks of the productiveness of old pear 

 trees ; and Virgil mentions some pears which he received from Cato. Pliny, 

 in his 15th book, describes the varieties in cultivation in his time as being 

 exceedingly numerous; and mentions a number which were named after the 

 countries from which they were received. Of all pears, he says, the Crus- 

 tumine is the most delicate and agreeable. The Falernian pear was esteemed 

 for its juice ; and the Tiberian pear, because it was preferred by the Emperor 

 Tiberius. There were "proud pears," which were so called because they 

 ripened early and would not keep, and " winter pears," pears for baking, &c, 

 as at the present day. " All pears whatsoever," Pliny observes, "are but a heavy 

 meat, unless they are well boiled or baked." When the cultivated pear was 

 introduced into Britain is uncertain ; but there can be little doubt that it was 

 brought here by the Romans ; and it is by no means improbable that all our 

 wild pears have originated in the seeds of these cultivated sorts, accidentally 

 disseminated by birds. The pear is mentioned by Chaucer ; and, in the time 

 of Henry VIII., it appears that the warden (so called from its property of 

 keeping) was in cultivation ; for, among certain charges in an old account-book 

 in the Exchequer, 3s. 4c?. is mentioned for "medlars and wardens," and 12d. 

 for " pears," probably some commoner sort. In Gerard's time, the Katherine 

 pear (a small red early fruit, still occasionally sent to market, No. 172. Hort., 

 Soc. Cat., and called by Gerard Pyrus superba, sive Katherina) was considered 

 the best: but he enumerates 7 sorts, all of which, he says, and many more sorts 

 of " tame peares," and those "most rare and good, are growing in the ground of 

 Master Richard Pointer, a most cunning and curious grafFer and planter of all 

 manner of rare fruits, dwelling in a small village neere London, called Twick- 

 nam ; and also in the ground of an excellent grafFer and painfull planter, Mr. 

 Henry Banbury, of Touthill Street, neere Westminster; and likewise in the 

 ground of a diligent and most affectionate lover of plants, Mr. Warner, neere 

 1 lorseydowne, by London ; and in divers other grounds about London." To 

 this, Johnson, in his improved edition of Gerard's Herbal, in 1596, adds : 

 " Most of the best peares are at this day to be had with Mr. John Miller, in 

 Old Street, in whose nursery are to be found the choisest fruits this kingdome 

 yeelds." (John. Ger., p. 1458.) The number of cultivated varieties known 

 in Philip Miller's time amounted to above 250, from which he selects 70 or 

 80 ;is the best ; and Du Hamel enumerates 1 19, to which he says 30 or 40 more 

 indifferent sorts may be added. The number has been constantly increasing, 

 both in France and England; and a great accession has been made to the 

 number of the best sorts, from Belgium, in consequence of many thousand seed- 

 Linga baring been raised by Dr. Van Mons of Louvain, and other amateurs of 





