MEDLAR TEEE. 



MESPILUS. 



POMACE.E. ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. 



French, neflier ; Italian, nespolo. 



The Dutch Medlar, Mespilus Germanlca^ is a middle- 

 sized branching tree; the leaves are of an oval shape, 

 but turning off to a point at the extremity (what the bo- 

 tanists term oval lanceolate), large, and rather woolly ; 

 the blossoms are white, and large ; and the fruit is a 

 berry of the size of a smallish apple. This tree is a 

 native of Asia, and the south of Europe ; it blossoms in 

 June and July. Both the trunk and the branches are 

 commonly very crooked ; the branches begin not far 

 from the ground. 



The fruit of the Medlar is not agreeable to the taste 

 until it is in a state of decay : 



" The medlar, fruit delicious in decay." 



J. Philips. 



This fruit bears on the top the form of a crown, which 

 gives occasion to Cowley to say, — 



the medlar tree was found 



Proud Ox its putrid fruit, because 'twas crowned." 



Philips, speaking of grafted fruits, says, — 



" men have gathered from the hawthorn's branch 



Large medlars, imitating regal crowns." 



