1877. ] 
NEW ORNAMENTAL JAPANESE PEARS. 
101 
preserved until the month of July. There are even some of them which 
keep longer still—eight to ten months. This pear-tree, which is originally 
from China, whence it was imported to Japan in 
distant times, distinguishes itself from our varieties 
by large fruits, almost rounded, and with very long 
piduncles, whose skin is rough (harsh), brownish, 
and dotted, and the flesh very succulent, but 
hard, more acid, or acerb, than sugary. There 
are some which are forwarder, smaller, and 
which are eaten in the summer season as re¬ 
freshing fruits, but there are these 
large pears of autumn, which keep 
so long, and are very suitable to be 
cooked and preserved, because of 
their acidity and acerbity, surpass¬ 
ing all our late pears in this pro¬ 
perty. The varieties which we have 
introduced stand easily not only the 
climate of central Europe, but also 
that of the tropical countries.” 
We can also say of them that 
they are quite as hardy here as 
Fig. y. 
any other varieties. They grow 
immensely, making shoots four 
feet long in one year ; their leaves, 
as you will see by the shoots now 
sent, are twice as large as those 
of other pears. They seem to form 
their flower-buds principally at the 
tops of their branches. 
The fifth variety sent is the best 
of all; it has no name at present, 
not being yet offered for sale. 
This variety is now in our hands. 
We purpose to name it after one 
of our pomological friends in 
Holland. This variety is quite 
different from the other four, and 
Fig. 4. 
