XI. 



THE OLDFIELD PEAR. 



This pear does not appear to have been known in the seven- 

 teenth century, nor even in the beginning of the eighteenth, 

 for it does not occur in any of the older catalogues of fruits ; 

 nor is it mentioned by Philips. It appears, however, to have 

 been much cultivated soon after the time of the last mentioned 

 writer, and has subsequently been more extensively planted 

 than any other variety. The perry it affords is sweet and 

 well flavoured; and it possesses, generally, a considerable 

 degree of strength : but it is not often free from a defect, 

 which is common to almost ever kind of perry, that of leav 

 ing an unpleasant sensation of acidity on the palate. 



The trees of this variety grow freely, and are very produc- 

 tive of fruit, and at an earlier age than those of almost any 

 other variety. 



The Oldfield Pear is generally believed to have derived its 

 name from an enclosure called the Oldfield, near Ledbury, 

 in Herefordshire, where an old tree still stands, which is 

 supposed to be the original tree of this variety : but I was 

 informed, in answer to enquiries which I made about twenty 

 five years ago, that this tree has evidently been grafted, and 

 that the original tree (which had once grown in the same 

 field) had at that period long ceased to exist. The specific 

 gravity of the juice of this, (as of all other pears) I have 

 found to be subject to much variation, when obtained from 

 fruit of equal maturity, but from different soils. The aver- 

 age weight was about IO67. 



