Account of the SecMe Pear. 



257 



therefore, is, that under such circumstances, Mr. Seckle's 

 family obtained grafts from Mr. Weiss's tree. 



Mr. Coxe, in his View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees in 

 America* (an interesting volume, which I have forwarded to 

 the Society), after assigning the same origin as I have stated 

 in the beginning of this letter, describes the fruit thus : " The 

 form and appearance vary with aspect, age, and cultiva- 

 tion ; the size generally is small, the form regular, round at 

 the blossom end, diminishing with a gentle swell towards the 

 stem, which is rather short and thick ; the skin is sometimes 

 yellow, with a bright red cheek, and smooth, at other times 

 a perfect russet, without any blush. The flesh is melting, 

 juicy, and most exquisitely and delicately flavoured. The 

 time of ripening is from the end of August to the middle of 

 October. The tree is singularly vigorous and beautiful, of 

 great regularity of growth, and richness of foliage, very 

 hardy, and possessing all the characteristics of a new va- 

 riety. Neither Rozier or De la Quintinye, among 

 the French, nor Miller or Forsyth among the English 

 writers, describe such a Pear as the Seckle ; nor have I found 

 one among the intelligent French gentlemen in our country 

 who has any knowledge of it in his own. 



I may add to the above, that the fruit is admitted by all, 

 to be one of the most exquisitely and highly flavoured we 

 possess. Its flavour is very peculiar, having a factitious 

 aromatic perfume, rather than the natural odour or taste of 

 fruits. The late General Moreau informed me, that he 

 had never tasted this fruit in France, the country in which, 

 of all others, the finest Pears are cultivated. 



* Page 1S9. 



vol. in. M m 



