60 



PEARS. 



vated all over Europe for the sake of the size and the delicious 

 flavour of its fruit. By some poQ:iologists it is supposed to be 

 the Regalia of Valerius Cordus ; the Piri cli Gacemella of 

 Agostino Gallo, and the Doinestica Pentagoiumi jjerclegans, 

 and Pugillarium Bollense, of John Bauhin. If these conjec- 

 tures be correct, its origin must be dated as far back, at least, 

 as the beginning of the sixteendi century, and probably much 

 higher. It is quite certain that it has found a place in every 

 work of consequence for the last one hundred and fifty years. 

 Upon the continent it is known by a great number of different 

 names. In Italy it is called Gracioli, and Gratiola di Roma ; 

 in Holland, Zomar Safraan, Apotheker Peer, Kamieelpeer, 

 Sucker Kanijpeer, Kanjerweel, Kruidkanjericeel, Marsepein- 

 peer, and Schager Magd ; in some parts of Germany, Malva- 

 sierhirne, and Strashurgerhirne ; in Wurtemberg and Anspach, 

 it has the name of Zuckerhirne ; in Thuringia, of Zuclieraden- 

 hirne ; and finally, m Vienna, it is known by the name of 

 Plutzerbirne, from its resemblance in form to a wine-flask. 



" It keeps a few days only, and in a week or ten days after 

 being gathered it begins to rot at the core. Wood, long, 

 flexuose or zigzag, smooth, with prominent buds, forming a 

 drooping tree like the Jargonelle (Epargne.) Leaves, roun- 

 dish, with a point, smooth, flat, slightly and regularly serrated ; 

 when young, very thin, and pale green on both sides, by which 

 it is readily distinguished from the Jargonelle, (Epargne) in 

 which they are at that time of a thick cottony texture. 



*' Flowers, the largest among pears. Fruit, produced upon 

 the extremities of young branches, which must be borne in mind 

 in pruning the tree ; varying from three and a half to four and 

 a half inches in length, and from two and a half to three inches 

 in breadth across the widest part, exceedingly knobby and ir- 

 regular in outline, particularly about the eye, quite blunt at the 

 base : skin, when fully ripe, of a pale lemon colour, very slightly 

 tinged with red on the sunny side, and covered all over pretty 

 regularly with small green dots ; eye, prominent, small ; flesh, 

 yellowish, breaking, firm, juicy, very sweet and excellent ; core, 

 very small, placed near the eye ; seeds, all abortive," 



