The Pekin Pear or Pai li (White Pear). 
Both the Keiffer and LeConte varieties of pear which 
are extensively grown in America have shown a fair degree 
of immunity to the pear blight, a very destructive bac- 
terial disease. These varieties are believed to be cross- 
es between varieties of the Chinese pear {Pyrus chinensis) 
and the European pear {Pyrus communis) . Unfortunately, 
neither the Keiffer nor the LeConte is of high quality, 
having inherited a certain coarseness from the Chinese pa- 
rent. The introduction of the Pai li or white pear of 
Pekin, considered the finest variety in North China, will 
probably interest the pear breeders and may lead to the 
production of better flavored blight-resistant pears. 
Photo No. 13030 by Frank N. Meyer, Oct. 18, 1913, Pekin, 
China. 
