36 
THE CULTIVATOR, 
FIGURES AND DESCRIPTIONS 
Of Five choice varieties of Pears } by A. J. Downing. 
The Madeleine 
Pear is the best 
very early pear 
in cultivation; 
as,though inferi¬ 
or to the Blood- 
good and Dear¬ 
born’s seedling, 
its earlier matu¬ 
rity renders it 
very desirable in 
every collection. 
Its name arises 
from its ripen¬ 
ing in France a- 
bout the 22d Ju¬ 
ly, which is the 
Fete de Sainte 
Magdalene. It 
commences ri¬ 
pening here a- 
bout the middle 
of July. 
Fruit rather 
small, turbinate, 
narrowing gra¬ 
dually towards 
the stalk, where 
it thickens a lit¬ 
tle. Stalk from 
1 to If inches long, slender, a little curved, and rather 
obliquely inserted. Eye very slightly sunk. Skin pale 
green, becoming a little yellowish, with sometimes a 
faint blush when fully ripe. Flesh white, melting, with 
an abundance of sweet and rather vinous juice. A good 
bearer, but the fruit must be picked a few days in ad¬ 
vance, and ripened in the house, or it is rather liable to 
rot at the core. 
known by so many names in various parts of the coun¬ 
try, (and by at least twenty more in different portions of 
Europe,) is indisputably one of the finest of all pears. On 
the »ea coast, or within the direct influence of the salt 
breezes, it often fails to produce good fruit; but in the 
interior, it is universally cultivated, and produces regu¬ 
lar and most abundant crops of the most beautiful pears. 
Its fruit is largest and finest on strong loamy soils ap¬ 
proaching clay. It ripens about the middle of Septem¬ 
ber, and remains in perfection for four or five weeks. 
Fruit above medium size, roundish oblong, narrowing 
most towards the stalk. Color pale yellow, dotted with 
a little russet, and often showing a fine blush on one side. 
Stalk ranging in length from three-fourths to one and a 
half inches, but generally about one inch long, rather 
strong and straight, curved a little at the point of junc¬ 
tion with the tree, and inserted in a slight depression. 
Calyx very small, with closed segments, and set in a 
smooth, very shallow basin. Flesh white, fine grained, 
exceedingly melting, buttery, and delicious. If picked 
from the tree when it commences ripening, and carried 
to the fruit room, this pear may often be retained in fine 
perfection till the first of November, and taking into con¬ 
sideration its productiveness, beauty and fine flavor, it is 
scarcely surpassed by any of the newer varieties. 
III. Winter Nelis. The Winter Nelis, of delicious 
flavor, melting, and very juicy in the months of Decem¬ 
ber and January, proves to be one of the finest dessert 
pears. It was raised byM. Nelis of Mechlin, succeeds 
admirably in our climate, and is not inferior to any oth¬ 
er of the new Flemish winter pears. 
Fruit of medium size, roundish obovate, narrowing 
with a slight hollow towards the stalk. Color yellowish 
green, pretty well covered with streaks of gray russet 
and russet dots. Stalk an inch and a half long, inserted 
in a narrow cavity. Calyx open, with firm short seg¬ 
ments, and set in a shallow basin. Flesh yellowish, fine 
grained, buLiery, melting, sugary and high flavored. 
IV. Seckel. This unique pear, the original tree of 
which, is, we believe, still growing on the farm of Mr. 
Seckel, near Philadelphia, is admitted to be the highest 
flavored pear known in either hemisphere, “ possessing a 
high vinous aroma,” says one of the highest European 
authorities, “ which can scarcely be compared with any 
thing in fruits.” It forms a very symmetrical bushy 
tree of rather compact but very healthy growth, produc 
ing its fruit in clusters, chiefly at the ends of the branches, 
and bearing very regularly and abundantly. No garden ? 
however small, should be without this exquisitely fla¬ 
vored dessert fruit. 
Fruit small, long obovate, a little compressed toward® 
