
                                                                                                                                                    313
Pound Pear
see No 15 79. 124.

No 13
[sketch of pear]

No 13. Mr Crane in the
neighborhood of Elizabeth
Town. [Township] is stated to have wrapped
these pears round with a [towel]
[or] cloth which was continued
so as to cover the adjoining
branches to such a degree as
to permit the [sap] to nourish
the fruit notwithstanding
the light frosts of October &
the beginning of November in
thereby lengthening the
Season  and enlarging the
size to 16½ inches in circumference
19 Jan. 1812
I have this winter packed
these pears in dry chaff
and have found it to keep
the fruit free from rot with
a plump smooth and bright
yellow skin with a red [blush]
while those  treated in the
common way were
green, shrivelled & [illegible]
to a considerable degree

In March following there were plump
finely flavored & beautifully colored
notwithstanding the Season was the
worst ever known for the keeping
of all kinds of winter fruits.

The Pound pear is one of the largest of our Winter
pears, sometimes measuring 4½ inches long & 3¾
inches thick, the shape is full and round at the
blossom end, where the eye is planted in a deep hollow
and diminishing towards the stalk which is about 1½
inches long and thick and strong, it swells considerably
in the middle.  The skin is green with black
spots, partaking of a portion of Russet. Towards Spring
it grows yellow and sometime exhibits a beautiful 
deep smooth red cheek. The taste when fully ripe 
is pleasant, but the great excellence of this pear is
for stewing, which gives it a fine quince colored
red. It frequently weighs more than a
pound.  It keep well through the winter. I had this
pear from Prince as the Winter Bon Chretien.

        