PEARS. 27 



Near Kwangning, Manchuria, one finds not only this variety but 

 also another, called the " Huang hsiang sui li," or yellow fragrant 

 water pear. (S. P. I. No. 20271.) Then there is the "Mi li," or 

 honey pear, a local variety growing in the Pangshan district, Chihli 

 Province, northern China. It is rather small, egg shaped, with a 

 very long peduncle, a canary-yellow color, a hard flesh, but very juicy 

 and sweet, and is a good keeper. (S. P. I. No. 21912.) 



The "Ten li," a rare local variety at Jehol, is of medium size, of 

 a dark canary-yellow color, hard fleshed, but juicy and very sweet. 

 It also is a good keeper. (S. P. I. No. 21930.) 



The pears of western Shansi, of the Kwohsien district, are famous 

 for their extraordinary keeping qualities. The "Yoh li," or oil 

 pear (fig. 9), for instance, can be kept for more than a year. This 

 pear is round-oblong in shape, with a long peduncle, is of a straw- 

 yellow color with a reddish cheek, very fragrant, and, although of 

 hard flesh, is very juicy and sweet. These pears are covered with a 



t*t ft 



&>"tttUgL '••«■■ ■*:'">•->; •»' vi '"t '»; 'H)l i S-^l ■£ :\ 4 ~y (5! 7| H W ItO'lU'l-Wli W 3| ! - » ** u '' 



Pig. 9.— The best three varieties of pears of the Kwohsien district, Shansi Province, China. The group to 

 the left is the "Yoh li," or oil pear; that in the center, the " Ben li," or furrowed pear; while the fruits 

 to the extreme right are the "Huang li," or yellow pear. 



fatty substance, which perhaps explains their keeping qualities and 

 has given them their name, oil pear. The trees of this variety have 

 a very spreading habit and grow to be very old, even near a century 

 and a half. 



A second one of these Kwohsien pears is the "Ben li," or furrowed 

 pear (fig. 9). This is of medium size and apple shaped, with a 

 long peduncle. It has four more or less deeply impressed furrows 

 near the peduncle. It is a good keeper, but has not so fine a flavor 

 as the "Yoh li." The trees of this variety grow with semi-erect 

 branches and do not attain as great an age as the preceding variety. 



The third good variety of this Kwohsien district is the "Huang 

 li, " or yellow pear (fig. 9). It is generally of large size, oblong in 

 shape, with long peduncle, of a pale-yellow color, and fragrant; the 

 flesh, although hard, is very juicy and sweet. It also is a good keeper. 

 The trees have very erect branches. 



204 



