the Making of Cider and Pcrrij. 
391 
to set against these objections two countervailing advantages : the 
ditches of a field receive a great deal of nourishing matter from 
the drainage of the land, which readily finds its way to the roots 
of the trees ; and the sun has freer access to the trees so situated 
than when they are crowded together in orchards. Pear-trees are 
but little cultivated in the counties of Somerset and Devon, at 
least for the making of perry, which is the more remarkable as 
the soils of both counties must be equally favourable to their 
growth ; but as the pear-tree is many years before it comes into 
bearing, this neglect may have arisen from the nature of tenures. 
A tree which requires twenty years to bring it into bearing should 
be planted by the person who is in possession of the fee of the 
land, or it is not likcl}- to be planted at all. 
The best perry-jiears are generally very harsh and disagreeable 
to the taste, and indeed may be considered uneatable, so that even 
hogs are said to reject them ; and yet they produce, when ground, 
very sweet pulp and rich juice. The sweet eating pears make a 
much inferior perry, which soon turns sour. 
The mode of raising pear-trees is precisely similar to that of 
apples. Stocks may cither be raised from the wild pear or from 
the seed contained in the pulp after making perry ; nor is there 
so much reason to prefer the wild kind to the perry-pear as the 
crab-stock to that raised from the apple-seed. A repetition of 
the process is therefore needless, and particularly as they are most 
generally purchased from the nurserymen, to whose department 
the business of rearing more properly belongs, and by whom it 
can be better executed. It may be observed, however, that the 
pear will succeed if grafted upon the apple, service, medlar, m 
quince stock. Some pears are said to be improved by being 
grafted upon the latter, but the hard sorts are rendered grittv. 
The several kinds of pears cultivated in the counties of Here- 
ford, Worcester, and Gloucester, for perry, are principal] v the 
Longland, the Squash, the Oldfield, the Barland, the Sach Pear, 
and the Red Pear. The following are described and recom- 
mended by Mr. Knight as the best of their kind : — 
Oldfield Pear. . Green; round; small; very productive. 
Forest Styre Pear. 
Longland Pear . INIuch valued ; getting rather old. 
Holmore Pear . Plentiful bearer; small ; round; very good for perry. 
Huffcap Pear . . Green, tinted brown; small; very austere. 
Barland Pear . . Green ; small ; somewhat egg-shaped ; trees very 
large and handsome ; produce great. 
The following are amongst the best eating pears : — 
Little Musk Pear .... Yellow ; early. 
Red Muscadelle .... Yellow and red ; large ; beautiful. 
Jargonelle Rich musky flavour ; early. 
