1877. ] 
DOYENNE DU COMICS PEAR. 
133 
The plant is perhaps better known as skewer-wood, since its branches are 
easily split for making those useful articles. It is deciduous, and grows about the 
' height of a hawthorn bush. The seed-vessels open in November, and show the 
small orange-coloured arillus enveloping each seed. These add greatly to the 
beauty of the clusters on the leafless shoots, and may be mixed with flowers with 
excellent effect. 
Thus the glittering pericarps of the spindle-tree are useful in winter, like 
those of other plants, including the berry-bearing ones, which are often more valued 
for the colour of their seed-vessels than for the blossoms in summer. The same 
may be said of the beautiful bract leaves which surround the inflorescence of other 
plants, without which they might remain unnoticed. Those of the Poinsettias are 
an illustration of such, their real beauty consisting in the brilliancy of the false 
leaves which partly conceal the puny blossoms.—J. Wighton, Cossey Park. 
DOYENNE DU COMICE PEAE. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
’’E here present our readers with Mr. Macfarlane’s very accurate portrait 
of one of a series of splendid examples of this grand dessert Pear, pro¬ 
duced on pot-plants in Mr. G. F. Wilson’s orchard-house at Gishurst 
Cottage, Weybridge, during the season of 1875. The figure represents 
the Pear at the period of the ensuing autumn, when it was fully ripened and fit 
for use ; and the leaves, which are from the same tree, have been added subse¬ 
quently. No finer or better specimens have yet been produced. The Doyenne die 
Comice may, indeed, both as to appearance and quality, be placed in the first 
rank of dessert pears for late autumn consumption. 
We learn from the Fruit Manual that this fine Pear was raised in the garden 
of the Comice Horticole at Angers, and that the original tree was first fruited 
in 1849. In this country it has, till lately, been comparatively little known ; but 
it proves to be a tree of healthy development, forming a handsome and tolerably 
free-bearing pyramid, when worked on the quince-stock. Mr. Wilson has suc¬ 
ceeded for several years in growing it to very great perfection on his potted 
orchard-house trees, which, however, are plunged out-doors during the summer 
to mature their fruit. Altogether, it is a variety deserving of the highest 
commendation, and the most extended cultivation. 
The fruit is of large size, frequently, according to Mr. Scott, exceeding 1 lb. 
in weight. It is irregularly turbinate or obovate in form, with a stout obliquely- 
set stalk, and a small deeply-sunk eye. The colour, when mature, is yellowish-fawn, 
marked over the surface with small grey specks, and mottled with russet near the 
eye and the stalk, the sunny side being faintly flushed with bright red. The flesh 
is fine, and very melting and buttery, rich and juicy, with a slightly perfumed 
flavour. Like most other autumn pears, it varies in. its season of maturity from 
the end of October to the beginning or middle of December. Mr. Scott gives 
Beurre Bolert as a synonym.—T. Moore. 
