PEARS. 



47 



enne when that variety is taken at its best ; but its period of 

 perfection is so short, that this, which will keep much longer 

 and also possesses much excellence of flavour, may perhaps be 

 considered the most useful. It is a very great bearer grafted 

 on the quince, and as it is very handsome and ripens immedi- 

 ately after the white variety , no collection should be without it." 

 I now add the description given in Duhamel : 

 " This fruit is large, of a form slightly ovate, being rather 

 more narrow at the end next the stalk ; it is usuallv three inches 

 in height and two inches and four lines in breadth, but they 

 occasionally find some which are one fourth larger every way ; 

 the stem is an inch long and inserted even with the surface of 

 the fruit, and generally in a somewhat lateral direction ; the 

 skin is green, with abundance of broad gray spots, but ac- 

 quires a dull red hue on the sun side ; the flesh is very melting, 

 sweet, combined with a partial degree of acidity, and extremely 

 agreeable. The seeds are dark brown, and the fruit, which is 

 one of the best kinds, ripens in the course of the month of 

 September." 



The Poraological Magazine 'places the Doyenne roux of 

 the French and the Red Doyenne of the English catalogues as 

 synonymes, which by previous authors had been considered 

 distinct. Having long cultivated this variety, I can state from 

 experience that the fruit is almost invariably of fair form and 

 good size, being full as large on the average as the one previ- 

 ously described. The advantage of its keeping so much 

 longer renders this far preferable for a market fruit, and some 

 of the farmers of this vicinity preserve the pears until late in 

 November and even December, when they are of most beau- 

 tiful appearance and command an exceedingly high price. 

 Wherever the culture of the St. Michael is discontinued, this 

 should be the fruit to take its place, which it is so well calcu- 

 lated to fill. 



It is remarked by French writers that the diflferent varieties 

 of Beurre pears should be gathered from the tree before matu- 

 rity and ripened in the house, which is the course generally 

 pursued in this vicinity. 



