286 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 24. 
of orcharding inust at some time have wished for a guide 
whereby lie might ascertain the name, and history, and 
works where described and portraited, of some variety 
in his collection. The series of notes and outlines 
which we have now commenced will be such a guide. 
Whenever a species of fruit is for the first time 
mentioned in this series, we purpose accompanying it 
by its history; and we now gather together, with a few 
additions, what we have previously published relative 
to the Peak. 
The Hebrews knew it only in its wild state (Agas), 
but Homer places it among the fruits of the garden of 
Alcinous:— 
“ The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear, 
And verdant olives flourish round the year. 
The balmy spirit of the western gale, 
Eternal breathes on fruits untaught to fail: 
Each dropping pear a following pear supplies, 
On apples, apples, figs on figs arise : 
The same mild season gives the blooms to blow. 
The buds to harden, and the fruits to grow.” 
Beyond the fact of the ancient Greeks having this fruit 
in cultivation, we know nothing; but when we descend 
a little lower in the order of time, we find among the 
early Romans not only considerable knowledge of its 
cultivation, but that they had many varieties, distin¬ 
guished by names which told of their quality, their place 
of birth, or their first owners. Thus Cato, who lived 
half a century before the birth of our Saviour, enume¬ 
rates, as the most excellent of Pears, the Voleman, 
Auicianan, and Semeutivan ; at the same time charac¬ 
terising the time when winter had quite departed, as 
being “ when the Pear begins to blossom.” 
Cato also gives directions for raising the Pear from 
seed, and giving them a shelter, which might be adopted 
even here advantageously. He says: “Sow it very 
early in the spring. Make the beds five feet wide; lay 
in some pulverized manure; spread it, and break the 
clods; make the bed level, or rather a little hollow; 
then sow the seed thick, like flax, sift the earth over it 
an inch thick; level the earth with a tablet or with 
your feet; fix poles around, lay perches on them, and 
lay on sprays or hurdles made of the fig-tree, which may 
keep off the cold and the heat. Make them so that a 
man may be able to walk under them. Weed the beds 
often ; as soon as the beds begin to grow, take them up; 
for, if you pluck up hardy weeds, you will take up the 
pears with them.” 
Columella, Pliny, and others, are still more copious 
in their lists of Pears; and some modern fruitists have 
endeavoured to identify these with varieties at present 
known to orchardists. Without expressing any assent 
to these identifications, yet we think they are not 
without interest; and we would not have the man for 
our friend who does not care to know that he is par¬ 
taking of fruit descended from trees of which Pliny, 
Cicero, Varro, Columella, and Virgil, may have enjoyed 
the produce. 
r J o aid our readers in the enjoyment of this pleasant 
i possibility, we will trace out some particulars which 
j Dalecamp and others have suggested upon this subject. 
Columella says: “We must be careful to plant our 
orchards with the most excellent and fruitful Pears. 
They are these Crustumina. This was so called from 
Crustnminum, in Hetruria, where it was most cultivated. 
Pliny says it was of most grateful flavour; and Servius 
says it was small and partly red. Supposed to be our 
Petit Blanquet, or Little Blanket. 
Regia , or Royal. Pliny says its stalk was so short 
that it grew close to the branch, was oblong in form and 
green in colour. Dalecamp considers it to be the Car- 
maignole. 
Signina. So named from Signia, in Italy. Pliny says 
it was by some, from its appearance, called Testacea, or 
Brick-coloured, Dalecamp thinks it is the Cat Pear 
(Poire Cluit). 
Superha. It is small, says Pliny, but it is the earliest 
Hardouin and Dalecamp agree that it is our Little 
Muscat. 
Orcleacea, or Barley Pear; because, says Pliny, it was 
ripe in barley harvest. It is thought to be our St. John’s 
Pear, or Amire Joannet. 
Favoniana. Pliny says it was red, and a little larger 
than the Superha. Dalecamp aud Hardouin think it is 
our Great Muscat. 
Lateritana. Probably from its brick-red colour; is 
supposed to be the Poire Prevost, or Provost Pear. 
Dolahelliana, was named after a Roman citizen, and 
distinguished for its excessively long stalk. Dalecamp 
thinks it is our Musette d'automne (Autumn Musette), or 
Pastorale. 
Venerea, or Venus Pear. So called, says Pliny, from 
the beauty of its colours. Dalecamp says it is the Poire 
Acciole. 
Omjchina, the Onyx Pear, from its purple tints. Dale¬ 
camp thinks it is the Cuisse Madame. 
We might extend this catalogue twofold, but, after 
remarking that though the Romans paid such attention 
to the Pear, it is entirely neglected by the degenerate 
race now occupying the territory of the Seven Hills, we 
will next pass on to the consideration of what has been 
done to improve this fruit in more modern times. 
To show, further, the knowledge of Pear-culture pos¬ 
sessed by the Romans, we shall not stop to gather together 
the fragments of information sustaining our opinion, 
which we find scattered through the works of Cato, Colu¬ 
mella, aud Varro, but will turn at once to what is said by 
the brothers Gordian and Maximus Quintilius. They 
flourished in the second century, and in fragments of 
their writings, in the “ Libri xx. Geoponicorum,” we find 
that they recommend for the Pear a cool and damp soil, 
adding, that if the fruit is gritty, the soil should be 
improved, and well watered—a recommendation also 
given by Palladius. Dioplianes, who wrote before 
Columella, Varro, and Pliny, for they quote from his 
writings, directs that Pears must be planted in a mild 
situation; that to promote fruitfulness, some of the 
main roots should be split, and the fissure kept open 
by a wooden wedge ; aud that if languid, they should 
be manured with the refuse of the wine press. The 
Romans had their Mr. Rivers, or advocate for dwarf 
Pears, for Tarentinus directs them to be grafted on 
