October 2 . 
COUNTRY gp:ntleman’s companion. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
D 
BI 
D 
W 
OCTOBER 2—8, JS55. 
Weather near London in 
Barometer. Thermo. Wind. 
1853. 
Rain in 
Inehes. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Bloon 
It. & S. 
Bloon’a 
Age. 
Clock 
Ijf. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
2 
Tu 
Spbodnis collaris. 
30.07.3—29.851 
71—36 
S.W. 
3 a 6 
36 a 6 
9 10 
<2 
10 
32 
275 
3 
W' 
Scaphisoma agaricinum. 
29.793-29.736 
65—31 
W. 
_ j 
5 
34 
10 11 
22 
10 
276 
4 
Th 
Stapliylinus oleiis. 
29.856—29.694 
62—52 
S.W. 
_ 
7 
31 
1! 21 
23 
1 
9 
277 
5 
F 
Aleocliara impresaa. 
29..585—29.510 
71—50 
.S.W. 
01 
8 
29 
morn. 
24 
11 
27 
278 
0 
S 
Mycetophagus undulahis Boleti. 
29.571—29.491 
58—47 
N.E. ' 
52 
10 
27 
0 33 
25 
11 
45 ' 
279 
7 
Son 
18 Sunday after Trinity. 
30.080—29.869 
.59—42 
E. 
— 
12 
25 
1 44 
26 
12 
2 t 
280 
8 
M 
Lunar Hornet IMoth. 
29.960—29.847 
60—52 
S.E. 
03 
13 
22 
2 56 
27 
12 
19 
281 
JIeteorologY OF THE Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 62.0°, and 42.8°, respectively. The greatest heat, 80°, occurred on the 51h, in 1834 ; and the lowest cold, 27 °, 
on the 2ad, in ’653. During the period 101 days were fine, and on 95 rain fell. 
THE FRUITS AND FRUIT-TREES OF GREAT 
BRITAIN. 
NO. VI. 
THE SECKLE PEAR, 
Identification. —Coxe’a View, 180. fig. 25. Hort. Trans, 
iii. 2oC. Hort. Soc. Cat. eJ. 1. n. 552. Litul. Guide. 
083. 
Synonymes. —Seckel, Tlort. Soc. Oaf. ed. 3. 300. Down. 
Fr. Amec. 415. New York Red Cheek, Hort. Sor. Cat. 
ed. 1. 432. Red-ckeeked Seckle, Acc. Pom. Mnq. 
Sycle, Ibid. Sicker, Bon. Jard. 1848. p. 4!)t). Shukes- 
lieare, of some continental cataUxjnes. 
Fioup.ES. —Hort. Trans, iii. t. 0. I’om. Mag, t. 72. 
By tlie time this is before the eyes of onr readers, 
the delicious fruit whicli we now bring under their 
notice, will, in some of the earliest situations, be in 
perfection. Although it is now nearly forty years since 
it was introduced to this country, it cannot ho said to he 
very generally cultivated. Here and there one meets 
with a place wliere its name has been known, and its 
merits appreciated, but as a generally-known variety R 
has not yet attained the position it ought to occupy. 
We trust that this notice may induce many of our 
readers to add it to their colleclious during the next 
planting season ; and those who do, we feel assured will 
never have reason to regret that they took our advice. 
It may he said to he the most richly-llavoiired Pear in 
cultivation. 
The fruit is small, generally produced in clusters of 
two or three, and of an average size of about two inches 
long, and the samo in width ; onr figure was taken 
from rather a large specimen, and is above the average, 
many of them not being larger than the Green Chisel. 
It is regularly and handsomely - shaped, obovate, or 
ovato tiirhiuate. The skin is at first generally of a dull 
green colour, with brownish-red on the side next the 
sun, changing as it ripens to yellowish brown on the 
shaded side, and bright red on that exposed to the sun ; 
hut sometimes it is considerably cavered with pale 
browu-rai^set. The eye is very small and open, with 
short, erect, black segments, and placed almost on a 
level with the surface of the fruit, 'i'he stalk is about 
halfaii inch long, inserted in a small and shallow cavity. 
The flesh is tender, melting, and buttery, very juicy and 
sugary, with a rich and unusually powerful aromatic 
flavour. It ripeus from the heginuiug to the middle of 
October, iu the southeru counties, aud perhaps a fort¬ 
night later in the uortlieru. It is well to gather it a 
few days before it ripens on the tree, otherwise it 
will not keep long; and after being gathered, close 
attention shoidd he given to it, that it may not be¬ 
come meally before using. 
The tree is very hardy, a free and vigorous grower, 
and an abundant hearer. It succeeds well as a standard; 
but accoiding to some it does not thrive on the Quince 
stock; of this, however, we have had no experience. 
The Seckle Pear is of American origin, and is first 
noticed by Coxe, an Ameiican Pomologist, in his “ View 
of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees." It was sent to this 
countrv iu 1810, by Dr. TIosack, of Philadelphia, along 
with several otlier fruits, to the garden of the tlorticuh 
tnral Society. Tlie original tree is still iu existence, and 
is growing iu a meadow in Paasynnk township, about a 
quarter of a mile from the Delaware, opposite League 
Island, and about three miles and a-half from Philadel- 
]diia. It is nearly a hundred years old, and about thirty 
feet liigh. Tlio diameter of the trunk, at a foot from the 
ground, is six feet; and five feet from the ground it is 
four feet nine inches. The trunk is hollow, and veiy 
much decayed; the hark, half way round, to the height 
of six feet, is entirely gone ; and so far has the progress of 
decay advanced, that, it is feared, in a few moreyenrs the 
tree will have ceased to exist. There are, however, young 
suckers growing from the root, by which tl>o original 
stock will he preserved; hut it is to ho regretted that 
some means were not taken to preserve the original tree, 
as by a very simple process of plasloritig nj) the deeayed 
portion the progress of decay might he arrested. Tlie 
property on which the tree stands helouged.in 1817, ac- 
No. CCCLXYl. You XV 
