Account of some new Seedling Pears. 447 



and hardy varieties of Pears, which had been planted for the 

 press in contiguous orchards, fell abortively, nearly forty of 

 the new varieties afforded fruits. Most of these were of little 

 value ; a part apparently not having acquired maturity, or 

 perfection, owing to defect of climate ; some were deficient 

 in flavour, or had flesh which remained firm and breaking ; 

 and others had a disposition to decay internally, though in 

 other respects not without merit. 



The fruit of the six varieties of which I have sent grafts 

 possessed more excellence than I ever expected to find in the 

 first produce of any very young seedling plants; and it 

 ripened at very different periods. Numbers 1 and 6 did 

 not become soft and melting till the last week in March. 

 Numbers 5 and 7 ripened in the end of February and the 

 beginning of March. No. 2 in the end of December, and 

 No. 13 in November. Numbers 1 and 2 are Pears of great 

 weight. Each of the six varieties greatly exceeds the 

 Swan's Egg in size, and No. 13 very closely resembles in 

 form, size, and colour, the Crassane. The trees of all, except 

 the last named, No. 13, are of the most luxuriant growth, 

 and, with the exception of No. 7, which bore a large crop 

 last year, all are very heavily loaded with blossom in the 

 present spring.* 



As the first blossoms of seedling trees, in all the cases which 

 have come under my observation, have proved less capable 

 of bearing unfavourable weather, than those which the same 

 trees subsequently produced, I do not entertain any doubts 

 of the hardy habits of those above described ; and I am 



* July 15, 1826. The blossoms have set perfectly well. 



