541 
situation. Upon some trees which had these advantages, I have obtained a great quantity of fruit 
which have arrived to their full magnitude, but I cannot say they were well flavoured; however, 
they made a very handsome appearance upon the trees. 
The double flowering kind is much more esteemed than the other in this country for the sake of 
its large, fine, double flowers, which are of a most beautiful scarlet colour; and, if the trees are sup¬ 
plied with nourishment, will continue to produce flowers for two months successively, which renders 
it one of the most valuable flowering trees yet known. This must be pruned and managed in the 
same manner as hath been already directed for the fruit-bearing kind, but this sort may be rendered 
more productive of its beautiful flowers by grafting it upon stocks of the single kind, which will 
check the luxuriancy of the trees, and cause them to produce flowers upon almost every shoot; by 
which method I have had a low tree, which was planted in the open air, extremely full of flowers, 
which made a very fine appearance. 
Genus 34 . Pyrus, Pear and Apple Tree . Class XII. Icosandria. 
Order IY. Pentagynia. 
Species 1. Common Pear Tree. (Pyrus Communis.) 
1 . The Pear grows to a lofty tree, with upright branches, with the twigs or branchlets hanging 
down. Leaves elliptical, obtuse, serrate; the younger ones clothed with a deciduous cotton under¬ 
neath and along the edge. Stipules linear. Flowers in terminating villose corymbs. Corolla 
snow-white. Pome produced at the base, hard and acerb (in the wild state), with five cells in the 
middle, each two-valved, and (regularly) containing two seeds.* 
The wild Pear, the motherfof all the orchard and garden varieties, is thorny.f The stipules 
are setaceous, white (or reddish), deciduous: the peduncles alternate: the calyx clothed with a 
ferruginous wool.J 
The wood of the Pear is light, smooth and compact: it is used by turners and to make joiners 
tools; and for picture frames, to be stained black. The leaves afford a yellow dye, and may be 
used to give a green to blued cloths. The juice of the fruit fermented is called Perry. The Squash, 
Oldfield and Barland Perrys are reckoned the best, and are little inferior to wine.§ 
The Pear is a native of Europe. It is not known whence the numerous cultivated varieties are 
derived. This fruit was familiar to the ancients, and has long been a great favourite with the French. 
It was doubtless not unknown to our remote ancestors, but does not seem to have been in equal 
favour with them as with their neighbours. 
In an account book of Henry VIII. now remaining in the Exchequer, there are the following 
charges, among others: 
For Medlars and Wardens (Pears) ...... 0 3 0 
Item to a woman who gaff the Kyng Peres ... 0 0 2 
Item to a woman for three Apples ...... 0 0 12 
Chaucer mentions the Pear tree, among other trees growing in this country. 
Knoop, in his Pomologia, has an hundred and two varieties, engraved and coloured. Duhamel 
* Smith. f Linn. Succ. J ScopolL § Withering. 
6 X 
