66 



PEARS. 



ADMIRAL. Pr. cat. 



Poir d'Amiral N. Duh. Pr. cat 25 ed. 



The Admiral pear is of exact pyramidal form, and very 

 round near the base, with a height of three inches to three inches 

 and a half, and a breadth of from twenty-eight to thirty lines. 

 The skin is even and regular, of a light green hue, dotted over 

 with numerous grayish specks, and a little touched with russet 

 next the sun. The flesh is moderately firm, readily dissolving 

 in the mouth, of a sweet and agreeable flavour, and soon be- 

 comes soft. The seeds are brown and large when perfectly 

 developed, the major part being often abortive. The fruit 

 ripens at the end of September. De la Quintinye and Evelyn 

 mention a pear called Portugal Summer, Prince pear, or Ad- 

 miral, ripening in July ; we can therefore scarcely suppose 

 them to refer to this. 



ST. LEZAIN. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 



St. Lezin. Pr. cat. 25 ed. Evel. Poit. et Turp. For. 

 Monsieur le Cure. 



The merit of this fruit consists in its size, for this beautiful 

 pear is in respect to taste but an indifferent variety ; it is often 

 four inches six lines and even more in height, and three inches 

 two or three lines in its greatest diameter, which is at about 

 one third its height; the part next the stalk gradually diminish- 

 ing in size. The stem which is sixteen to eighteen lines in 

 length, emerges from a small cavity, one side of which is often 

 raised by a singular protuberance ; the eye at the opposite 

 extremity is situated even with the outer edge of the fruit. 

 The skin which is at first green over every part, becomes a little 

 yellow in ripening, and is dotted over with small grayish points, 

 and sometimes acquires a very slight tint of red next to the 

 sun ; the flesh is rather firm and does not possess a great deal 

 of flavour, but has a partial acidity in its taste. The seeds 

 are very oblong and almost black, and the fruit ripens at the 

 end of September or early in October. 



