ground of a diligent and most affectionate lover of plants, Mr. Warner, neere Horseydowne, by London 
and in divers other grounds about London.” 
Properties and Uses. The wood of the wild pear is heavy, strong, compact, of a fine grain, and 
slightly tinged with red. It weighs, green, 79lbs. 5oz. per cubic foot; and, when dry, from 49lb. to 53lb. 
This wood, in common with that of all the Rosacese, is liable to have its natural colour changed by steeping 
it in water ; which ought, therefore, to be avoided when it is intended for particular purposes. It is readily 
stained black, and then so closely resembles ebony as to be scarcely distinguishable from it. According to 
Du Hamel, it is, next to the true service (P. Sorbus domestica,) the best wood that can be employed by 
wood engravers ; which use Gerard also seems to hint at when he says, it “ likewise serveth to be cut into 
many kinds of moulds ; not only such prints as these figures are made of, but also many sorts of pretty 
toies, for coifes, brest-plates, and such like, used among our English gentlewomen.” (p. 1459.) For the 
wood engraver, however, it is far inferior to the box ; though it is allowed to be very hard and homogeneous 
and yet easy to cut, and when perfectly dry, not liable either to crack or to warp. For coarse engravings 
on wood, such as large plans, &c., we have no doubt that it would succeed perfectly. — Loudon's Arbor, and 
Fruticetum Britann. 
As a dessert fruit, the pear is much esteemed, and generally preferred to the apple. It is also used for 
baking, compots, marmalade, &c. Dried in an oven, the fruit will keep upwards of a year, either with or 
without syrup. This mode of preparing the pear is about as common in France as the making of apple 
pies in this country. Bose (Nouveau Cours d’Agric. in loco,) describes two methods of drying pears for 
preservation, and adds that he has tried them after 3 years’ keeping, and found them still very good. 
Perry, the poire of the French, is made from the fermented juice, in the manner of cider, and the best sorts 
are said by Withering to be little inferior to wine. The wood of the pear tree is light, smooth, and compact, 
and is used by turners and to make joiners’ tools, and picture frames to be dyed black. The leaves will 
will produce a yellow dye, and may be used to give a green to blue cloths. 
Criterion 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 beurrds or butter pears. Kitchen pears should be large of size, 
with the flesh firm, neither breaking nor melting, and rather austere than sweet, as the wardens. Perry 
pears may be either large or small, but the more austere the taste the better will be the liquor. Excellent 
perry was made from the wild pear. 
When discussing the differences of trees, Virgil mentions three kinds of pears : — 
nec surculus idem 
Crustumiis, Syriisque pyris, gravibusque volemis. 
Georg. Lib. ii. 87. 
They are reduced to two in Dryden’s translation : — 
Unlike are bergamots and pounder-pears. 
According to the Delphin commentator, however, the volema are not pound-pears, but bon Chretiens • 
their Latin name is derived from their being large enough to fill the hollow of the hand, (cola.) 
