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THE GARDENER’S V 
The Species of Mespilus, confiding of one Fruit- 
tree kind, and feveral ihrubs, are 
(Fruit-tree kinds , with large , eatable fruit) 
1. Mespilus germanica , German, or Dutch Medlar 
— (Eatable fruited.) 
A moderate, deciduous tree, growing fifteen or 
twenty feet, branching irregularly—the leaves ( mid¬ 
dling-large ) ovate-fpear-fhape, hoary on the under- 
fide, and large flowers fingly, and fitting clofe; fuc- 
ceeded by largifh, rough, brown, eatable fruit, ripe 
in autumn and winter.—Native of Germany and the 
fouthern parts of Europe. ( Any common foil and fin¬ 
al ion.) 
F(U'-ieties. —Common Apple-fhaped, Greater Dutch 
Medlar. 
Smaller Apple-fnaped, or Nottingham 
Medlar. 
Pear-fhape Italian Medlar. 
Thefe being the common, eatable Medlars, the two 
former varieties are the principal forts: they acquire 
•full growth in O&ober, having a large, umbilicatcd 
opening, or cavity, at top; are very hard and auftere, 
when firlt gathered, requiring to lie fome time in the 
fruitery, &c. to mellow; and when become foft and 
tender, are then eatable, and prove an agreeable de- 
fert, winter fruit. 
( Shrub kinds , for variety and ornament, producing 
fmall , berry-like, red, and purple fruit.) 
2. Mespilus arbutifolia. Arbutus-leaved Medlar. 
A middling, deciduous fhrub, growing fix or eight 
feet high—the leaves ( middling ) ovate-fpear-lhape, 
crenated, or notched, hoary underneath.—Native of 
Virginia, {Any common foil and ftuation.) 
3. Mespilus Amelancbier — (Amelanchier) or Alpine 
Medlar. 
A middling, deciduous flirub, growing five or fix, 
to eight feet high—the Item hairy; leaves ( fmallijh ) 
oval, and fawed, villofe-hoary underneath, and black- 
ifh fruit.—Native of Switzerland, Auftria, France, 
&C. {Any foil, &C.) 
4. Mespilus canadenfe, Canada Snowy Mefpilus. 
A largifh, deciduous flirub, growing feven or eight, 
to ten feet high—the leaves ( fmallijb ) ovate-oblong. 
EGETABLE SYSTEM 
fmooth, fawed on the edges.—Native of Canada and 
Virginia. {Any common foil, &c.) 
5. Mespilus Chama-Mefpilus —(Charnnc-Mefpilus) 
Dwarf Alpine Medlar, or Dwarf Quince. 
A moderate, deciduous flirub, growing three to four, 
or five feet high—the leaves ( fmall ) oval, and fawed, 
ilipula deciduous; and flowers growing in corymbu? 
heads.—Native of the Alps of Auftria, &c. (Any 
common foil , &C.) 
6. Mespilus Cotoneafer — (Cotoneafter) or Ballard 
Quince. 
A moderate, deciduous flirub, three to four, or five 
feet high—the leaves {fnall) ovate-roundifh, entire. 
—Native of the cold parts of Europe, on hills, the 
Pyrenees, and Mount Ararat. {Any common foih 
&oc.) 
7. Mespilus Pyracantha —(Pyracantha) or Ever¬ 
green Thorn, commonly called Pyracantha. 
A largifh, ever-green lhrub, of flexuofe growth, 
with long, flexible branches, rifing, by fupport, ten 
or twelve feet high, armed with thorns—the leaves 
{fmall) fpear-fhape, ovate, crenated or notched; and 
numerous clufters of fmall, white flowers in fummer, 
fucceeded by bunches of red berries, very ornamental 
in autumn and winter.—Native of France and Italy, 
in hedges. {Any foil and ftuation.) 
All thefe fpecies of Mefpilus are eligible for garden 
plantations, fome for ufe, and the greater part for or¬ 
nament and variety; the Common Medlar both as a 
fruit-tree, and alfo, together with all the other fpecies, 
is proper to aflift in compofing fhrubberies, and other 
plantation diftri&s in pleafure-grounds; wherein they 
will increafe the variety very diftinguifhably, and effedt 
an agreeable diverfity in their different growths, fo¬ 
liage, flowers, &c. the Pyracantha has likewife par¬ 
ticular merit for training confpicuoufly againft walls, 
the fronts of buildings, &c. appearing always green, 
and its numerous bunches of red berries, continu¬ 
ing in autumn and winter, are Angularly curious and 
ornamental in thefe feafons; or this, and all the forts 
planted in fhrubberies, &c. flower abundantly in fum¬ 
mer; and the flowers fuccecded by plenteous fruits, in 
autumn; fome large, of the apple and pear form, 
others fmaller, as before obferved, and fome like haw- 
berries; but thofe of the firft fpecies only, the Mef¬ 
pilus germanica, are confidered of the eatable kind, ac¬ 
quiring full growth in Oftober, but not proper for eat¬ 
ing till after being gathered, and laid in fome dry 
apartment, to foften; or may be forwarded, a few at 
a time, in rnoift bran, till foft and mellow. 
The 
