PEARS. 



93 



ing subject to become soft. The tree when ingrafted upon 

 the quince produces fruit that is larger, higher coloured, and 

 more delicate than the trees propagated on the pear. This 

 variety is said to be rather slow in producing fruit, but when 

 the tree is of sufficient size to commence bearing it yields good 

 crops. 



SPANISH BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. Mil. For. Coxe. 



Bon Chretien d'Espagne. Roz. Duh. Mil. 

 Good Christian of Spain. 

 Autumn Bonchretien. 



Mansueite, or Amande Suede, of Flanders. 



This pear is very different in its form from the other varie- 

 ties of the Bonchretien family, which is that of a pretty regu- 

 lar pyramid somewhat inclined ; it is at the largest part thirty- 

 one to thirty-two lines in diameter, and four inches less three 

 lines in height — some are even met with that are three inches 

 in diameter, and four in height ; the section of the fruit near 

 the stem is very much contracted, and in such a manner as to 

 make that part appear almost acute ; the peduncle is inserted 

 in a very small cavity, surrounded by three slight projections. 

 The depression where the eye is situated is but a slight one ; 

 the skin is smooth, almost entirely even and destitute of swel- 

 lings, and on the shade side is of a light green hue, which 

 varies to a pale yellow at maturity, but next to the sun be- 

 comes a brilliant red, besides which the whole surface is scat- 

 tered over with small russet points ; the flesh is firm, breaking, 

 abounding in sweet juice which has an agreeable fragrance ; 

 the seeds are brown and distended, and the fruit ripens in No- 

 vember and December. The foregoing description is from 

 the new edition of Duhamel. In the first edition the descrip- 

 tion given of this pear differs somewhat from the one here 

 stated, as some protuberances or swellings of the fruit are there 

 mentioned which the writers in the present case have not ob- 

 served on the specimens they have seen. The tree may be in- 

 grafted either on the pear or the quince. 



