THE PEAR. 



545 



There are several species of weevil which attack the young shoots of the 

 apple tree, or bore into their blossom buds before they expand in spring. 

 There are also several species of moth, some butterflies, and the aphis and 

 chermes mali, but very little can be done either to prevent the attacks of 

 these insects, or to destroy them after they have made their appearance. 

 Smoke of any kind, such as from damp straw, if the heads of the trees can 

 be enveloped in it, will bring down caterpillars, and by destroying these the 

 number produced next season will be lessened. Tobacco water, thrown over 

 the tree with an engine, will kill the aphis and chermes, but this remedy is 

 too expensive for general use. Lime-water will destroy the caterpillars of 

 all insects that live on the leaves of plants ; but neither it nor tobacco- 

 water can be readily brought in contact with the larva of beetles and other 

 insects that live in the interior of the bud or shoot, — See our Chapter on 

 Insects, and the different modes of destroying them, p. 93 to 123; and also 

 that on the Diseases and Accidents to which Plants are liable, p. 123 to 126; 

 and consult " Kollar s Treatise on the Insects injurious to Gardeners, 

 Foresters, and Farmers," 



SuBSECT. II. The Pear. 



1154. — The Pear — Pyrus communis, L. (Poirier, Fr. ; Birnbaum, Ger. ; 

 Peer, Dutch ; Pero, ItaL ; and Pera, Span. ; E. B. 1784 ; Arb, Brit. vol. ii. 

 p. 880; and Encyc. of Trees and Shrubs, p. 417), is a deciduous tree of a more 

 upright and regular form than the apple-tree, and of greater duration. It is 

 indigenous in the woods of most parts of Europe, and also in many parts of 

 Asia ; but it is not found in North America. The wild pear differs from 

 the apple in growing on poorer soil, having a larger and more permanent 

 tap root, and in a seedling state not coming so soon into bearing. The pear 

 in its cultivated state is found in the gardens of all civilized countries, more 

 especially in those of temperate climates. In Britain it forms a leading 

 article in the dessert, from July to March, or later. 



1155. Uses.~The fruit of the pear is more esteemed in the dessert than 

 that of the apple, but the latter is much more valuable in the kitchen. The 

 pear is used for baking, stewing, compotes, and marmalades. Pared, and dried 

 in the sun, the fruit will keep several years, either with or without sugar, 

 and those sorts which are less esteemed for the table are found to answer 

 best for this mode of drying and preserving. Perry is made from the ex- 

 pressed juice of the pear, fermented in the manner of cider, and when well 

 made of the most suitable kinds of fruit, it is more highly prized than cider. 

 The tree has not its white blossoms tinged with red, like those of the apple, but 

 it grows to a greater height and assumes a more pyramidal shape : the leaves 

 die off in autumn of a richer yellow or red ; and the tree being of greater 

 duration than the apple, it is from these properties better adapted for 

 ornamental plantations. The wood is light, smooth, and compact, and 

 much used in turnery, tool-making, for picture- frames, and for dyeing to 

 imitate ebony. The leaves will dye yellow. 



1156. Properties of a good Pear. — Dessert pears are characterised by a 

 sugary aromatic juice, with the pulp soft, and sub-liquid or melting, as in the 

 beurres or butter-pears. Kitchen pears should be of large size, with the flesh 

 firm, neither breaking, that is, firm and crisp, nor melting, and rather austere 

 than sweet, as in the Wardens. Perry pears may be either large or small ; 

 but the more austere the taste, the better will be the iquor. Excellent 



