PEAR. 319 



The ecbasserie takes well, and is soon fertile on 

 the quince stock, where the space is limited and the 

 soil heavyish ; but better on the pear stock, if there 

 be plenty of wall-room, and the soil light and 

 shallow. 



34. Virgouleuse P. — Ripe the end of November to 

 January. Miller's description of this pear is cor- 

 rect ; viz, — *'The fruit are large, long, and of a 

 green colour, turning to yellow when ripe ; the stalk 

 is short, fleshy, and a little bent ; the eye of a middle 

 size, and a little hollow ; the skin is very smooth, 

 and sometimes a little coloured towards the sun ; 

 the flesh is melting, and full of a rich juice." In 

 habit the tree is vigorous, requiring, if grafted on a 

 free stock, a greater extent of wall than other sorts 

 of winter pears. On the quince stock the tree is 

 more dwarfish, and therefore better calculated for 

 small gardens or limited spaces. A south-east aspect 

 appears to be the best for this pear. But wherever 

 this tree is planted, no success will attend the cul- 

 ture if it be not placed on a shallow border of fresh 

 sandy loam on a dry bottom ; and if it be not allowed 

 plenty of room to extend its branches. Confining it 

 to a limited space by the knife, only renders it more 

 luxuriant and more sterile. It should also be trained 

 in very open order, for the sake of admitting air and 

 light to ripen the young wood. It has been noticed 

 by Quintynaie, a French author, that this pear is 

 very apt to imbibe the scent of the wood on which 

 they are stored ; and therefore the writer advises 

 that fruit-shelves should be made of scentless wood. 



