110 



PEARS. 



three to five lines in height ; the stem is short, being often but 

 seven or eight lines in length, and is inserted vs^ithin a slight 

 depression whose edges are rather even ; the skin is hght green, 

 more or less speckled with small red dots, and becomes pale 

 yellow at maturity, attaining next the sun a lighter or darker 

 red hue ; the flesh is white, firm, breaking, and of an acid fla- 

 vour, which is sometimes meliorated in particular cases where 

 the fruit is well ripened ; when cooked this pear acquires a 

 fine colour approaching to red, and is of a very pleasant sweet 

 taste ; the seeds are oblong and small comparatively with the 

 magnitude of the fruit, which ripens in November and De- 

 cember, and may be preserved the whole winter ; it is only 

 eaten when cooked and comes under the denomination of bak- 

 ing pears, being used for that purpose and for compotes ; the 

 tree is very vigorous, and succeeds better grafted on the pear 

 than on the quince. 



RATEAU. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

 Gros Raieau. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 



This pear is as large as the Catillac, but is more of a tur- 

 binate form, being usually three inches and a half in its greatest 

 diameter, and a line or two less in height ; the stem is six or 

 eight lines long at most, and inserted within a small cavity, 

 one side of which is more elevated than the other — the eye 

 on the contrary is situated in a pretty deep cavity, whose sides 

 are very even and regular ; the skin on the shade side is green- 

 ish white, and of a vermilion colour on the side opposite, and 

 is strewed all over with numerous small specks of a russet hue; 

 the flesh is firm, breaking, rather sweet, with a partial odour 

 and of agreeable taste — when cooked it acquires a very slight 

 rosy tint and a delicious flavour ; the seeds are almost invari- 

 ably abortive, and the fruit ripens in December and January. 

 This is a fine pear and merits extensive dissemination ; in a 

 raw state it is suitable to form an ornament for the dessert dur- 

 ing a part of the winter, and it is sufficiently agreeable to be 



