12 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



rewarding research and improvement. The Societe 

 pomologique de France, founded at Lyons half a 

 century ago, is distinguished above all others for 

 the character and extent of its service to the cause. 

 It has rescued out of chaos the nomenclature of 

 fruits, simplified their synonymies, and has extolled 

 what is best among them in a work bearing the 

 name of Catalogue des Fruits adoples par la Societe 

 pomologique de France. The enumeration which we 

 are now about to make of the varieties of fruits born, 

 discovered, or evolved in the Lyonnaise takes this 

 catalogue for its basis. I begin with the Pears, as 

 having an importance in alimentation and domestic 

 economy first among all fruits, and as being the fruit 

 to which the Societe pomologique de France has 

 consecrated the most numerous and important of 

 its labours. 



Poire Madame Ballet. — I place in the foremost 

 rank the name of this variety, destined, if I am not 

 mistaken, to enjoy a great reputation. The name 

 was adopted at the last pomological congress at Pau. 

 Madame Ballet made her first appearance on the 

 2ist February, 1892, at a sitting of the Association 

 Horticole Lyonnaise, being introduced by her raiser, 

 M. Ballet, of Parenty, near Lyons, as the fruit of a 

 tree sown in 1 880. In 1 894 a committee, nominated 

 for the purpose of judging both the tree and the 

 fruit, awarded a gold medal to the obtainer. In 

 1895 the Societe pomologique de France passed a 

 still more favourable judgment on this pear, and 

 from year to year Madame Ballet continued to grow 

 in favour, until finally adopted by the society quite 

 recently. This new variety acquires daily a more 

 considerable place in local estimation, and has suc- 

 ceeded in supplanting most of the older varieties 

 which hitherto used to supply the winter market. 



The following are its chief characteristics : Tree 

 a fine, vigorous, pyramidal shape, robust and very 

 fertile ; the scions of one year's growth frequently 

 terminate in a fruit bud, as in the Duchesse d'An- 

 gouleme ; the eyes, projecting from the wood espe- 

 cially at the upper part of the branch, are black with 

 gray scales ; the fruit is of good size, clean, neither 

 wormy nor spotty, perfect in form and colour, gray 

 tawny with yellow stipplings, red-brown on the side 

 exposed to the sun ; the flesh is delicate, white, firm, 

 sweet, juicy, and luscious, with an agreeable aroma. 

 Maturity January-February, sometimes as late as 

 March. 



If the qualities observed in this pear are every- 

 where maintained, as there is good reason to suppose 

 they will be, it bids fair to be the best of all trees 

 for gardens and of fruits for the table. 



Continuing our enumeration of the pears either 

 obtained or discovered in our region we single out 

 in the first place those which figure in the catalogue 

 of fruits adopted by the Societe pomologique. All 



are recommendable for their good qualities, and a 

 certain number — both tree and fruit — are as near 

 perfection as one could desire. 



Alexandrine Mas. — Obtained by M. Mas, of 

 Bourg, Ain, from seed of Passe Colmar. It is a 

 fruit of fair size, pyriform, and irregular in contour ; 

 in colour, citron yellow, slightly bronzed, or (more 

 rarely) washed with russet, on the side exposed to 

 the sun. A very good pear ; the flesh white and 

 delicate, sufficiently firm, though luscious and juicy; 

 but to acquire all these qualities it needs a warm 

 exposure and light soil. In espalier against a south 

 wall it does very well. Should be eaten only when 

 completely ripe. February-April. The tree is vigo- 

 rous near the ground, and, though in this case low 

 in stature, loses none of its abundant and constant 

 fertility. It should be grafted on the Pear. 



Blanche t Claude. — Discovered by M. CI. Blan- 

 chet, of Vienne, Isere. The fruit is rather larger in 

 size than Citron des Carmes (St. Jean), ripening at 

 the same time as this, but more aromatic, and prefer- 

 able to it on that account, and also, for the greater 

 natural fertility of the tree. A tree for standard 

 culture in the orchard. 



Favorite Joannon. — Obtained by M. Joannon at 

 St. Cyr au Mont d'Or, Rhone. The fruit is of 

 medium size, turbinate in form ; colour uniform 

 yellow, stippled gray. A very good pear, delicate 

 butter-like texture, luscious, very juicy, sweetly 

 acidulate, aromatic ; ripening September. The tree 

 is vigorous, hardy, fertile, adaptable to all regular 

 forms, even on the Quince. 



Favorite Morel de Lyon-Vaise. — Large-sized fruit 

 of cylindrical form, swelling top and bottom ; skin 

 rough, thick, yellow stippled, streaked, and some- 

 times half-covered with tawny russet. A very good 

 pear, delicate, juicy, vinous flavour, agreeably aci- 

 dulate and aromatic. October. The tree is as vigo- 

 rous and as fertile as Louise bonne ; very hardy and 

 robust ; never hurt by frost even in the coldest 

 winters. 



Fondante Fougere. — Obtained by M. Fougere, of 

 St. Priest, Isere. The fruit is medium sized or 

 large, turbinate ; pale yellow, smooth skin, stippled 

 red. A very good pear, delicate, luscious, juicy 

 and aromatic. December. The tree is of moderate 

 vigour, more adaptable to small form, and very 

 fertile. 



La France. — Raised by M. Claude Blanchet, of 

 Vienne, Isere. The fruit is medium sized, resem- 

 bling a small Duchesse d'Angouleme, inclining to 

 green, stippled gray, with russet stains at top, bronzed 

 on the sunny side. A very good pear, delicate, 

 juicy, melting, saccharine and aromatic. October- 

 November. The tree is vigorous and fertile, but 

 best for walls owing to its slender ramifications. It 

 is best grafted on Quince. 



