Pear

“ This is a doubtful conjecture, though without doubt the variety is of very ancient origin. Fruit small, globular-obtuse, yellowish-green, dull brown where exposed to the sun and profusely speckled with gray russet; flesh greenish-white, tender, melting, somewhat gritty at the core, juicy, and of a rich flavor; a dessert pear of first quality; Oct. Tree vigorous, prolific, forms a handsome standard and succeeds on either quince or pear. ”

“ Among our troublesome plants, one of the worst and most plentiful is the prickly pear. It spreads with astonishing rapidity, and is so tenacious of life that a leaf, or even a small portion of a leaf, if thrown on the ground, strikes out roots almost immediately, and becomes the parent of a fast-growing plant. ”

“ The pear is a hardy tree, and lives for a longer period than the apple; it has been known to exist for centuries. There are now about 150 varieties of this fruit. Though perfectly wholesome when ripe, the pear is not so when green, but in this state it is fit for stewing. An agreeable beverage, called perry, is made from pears, and the varieties which are least fit for eating make the best perry.
2572.—PEARS, PRESERVED. (Another Method.)
Ingredients.—8 lbs. of firm, sound pears, 6 lbs. of preserving sugar, the finely-grated rind and juice of 3 lemons, 2 inches of whole ginger. ”

“ An excellent French pear suitable for a mild climate. Fruit medium, globular-obovate-pyriform, greenish, more yellow at maturity, sprinkled, shaded and dotted with russet, sometimes with slight crimson and fawn on exposed cheek; flesh rather coarse, melting, juicy, vinous, having but little perfume; good to very good ”

“ They are tall and slender, forming what is called an imperfect pyramid. Standard pear trees, like these, give a good shade, and the long, slender branches are well clothed with leaves of a bright, glossy green. This rich color lasts late into the autumn, and it is then varied with yellow, and often with red and black, spots; so that pear-leaves are not to be despised in gathering autumn-leaf treasures. The pear is not so useful a fruit as the apple, nor so showy in color; but it has a more delicate and spicy flavor, and often is of an immense size. ”

“ In considering particularly the different shapes, sizes, colors, flavors, and odors of the pear, who will not adore the wisdom of the creator. Pears are found round, long ‘goderonnees’ [3] pointed, blunt, small, and large. Gold, silver, vermillion, and satin green are found among the pears. Sugar, honey, cinnamon, clove, flavor them. They smell of musk, amber, and chive. In short, so excellent are the fruits that an orchard would not be worth while in a place where pear trees do not thrive. ”

“ While not large, the fruits are of sufficient size to meet the demands of a good dessert pear. The shape is a perfect turbinate, truncated at the base of the fruit, usually very symmetrical, and the fruits run uniform in shape. In color, the pears are distinctive in their russeted skin, with a handsome ruddy cheek. The accompanying color-plate does not do justice to the fruit in illustrating size, shape, or color. The flesh is melting and juicy, and deserves, more than that of almost any other pear, the adjective luscious. The flavor is sweet, vinous, and highly perfumed. ”

“ If we can combine the hardiness and blight-resistance of this Siberian pear with the large size and high quality of fruit of the European pear, with thousands of years of cultivation back of it, then we have the solution of the pear question in sight. Millions and millions of people are watching for a good hardy pear. ”

“ The main distinction is the occurrence in the tissue of the fruit, or beneath the rind, of clusters of cells filled with hard woody deposit in the case of the pear, constituting the “grit,” while in the apple no such formation of woody cells takes place. The appearance of the tree—the bark, the foliage, the flowers—is, however, usually quite characteristic in the two species Cultivated pears, whose number is enormous, are without doubt derived from one or two wild species widely distributed throughout Europe and western Asia, and sometimes forming part of the natural vegetation of the forests. ”

“ In the prickly pears, on the contrary, it is the flattened stem and branches which undertake this essential operation in the life of the plant—the sucking-in of carbon and giving-out of oxygen, which is to the vegetable exactly what the eating and digesting of food is to the animal organism. In their old age, however, the stems of the prickly pear display their true character by becoming woody in texture and losing their articulated leaf-like appearance. ”

“ An old pear which originated in Gloucestershire, Eng., previous to the year 1805 and which is widely known as a remarkably fine perry pear much grown in Herefordshire. It is early, tender of flesh, and “if it drops ripe from the tree it bursts from the fall, whence probably the name.” Fruit medium to below, turbinate, dull greenish-yellow on the shaded side and dull brownish-red next the sun, covered with rough, russet dots; calyx open; stem slender; flesh white, with a brisk, sweet flavor. ”

“ And there grow tall trees blossoming, pear-trees and pomegranates, and apple-trees with bright fruit, and sweet figs, and olives in their bloom. The fruit of these trees never perisheth, neither faileth winter or summer, enduring through all the year. Evermore the West Wind blowing brings some fruits to birth and ripens others. Pear upon pear waxes old, and apple on apple, yea, and cluster ripens upon cluster of the grape, and fig upon fig. ”

“ Most flowers are admired for their own sweet sake, but who thinks less of an apple or cherry blossom because it bears in its beauty the promise of delicious fruit? Put a red Astrachan beside a sorry crab, a Bartlett pear next a tough, diminutive wild pear such as it is descended from, an ear of milky corn in contrast with an ear one-fourth its size, each grain of which, small and dry, is wrapped in a sheath by itself ”

“ A perry pear grown under a variety of names in Upper and Lower Austria. Fruit medium, long-ovate, greatest diameter at its center, light green turning yellowish at maturity, covered with russet and green dots; flesh yellowish, coarse and juicy, saccharine, astringent; good for transport ”

“ Wild or cultivated, the pear is a deep-rooted plant, a fact that must be taken into consideration in selecting orchard sites. On shallow soils pears thrive better on the shallow-rooted quince.
Few cultivated fruits have changed more under domestication than the common pear. The trees under cultivation are larger and much more vigorous, and the fruits in the best orchard varieties—the consummation of the breeder’s art—would by no one be considered the same species if the two were found in the wild. ”

“ The prince of American pears, a variety exhibiting a rare combination of virtues, the richest and most exquisitely flavoured of fruits being borne on the healthiest and hardiest of trees, is the Seckel Pear, so general a favourite that no garden is considered complete without it. ”

“ Worth growing for ornament, its large, double flowers, with from twelve to fifteen petals, being very handsome. Fruit above medium, globular or globular-turbinate, generally enlarged on one side more than on the other, green but yellow when ripe, dark red or pale purple on the side of the sun; flesh greenish, semi-fine, quite crisp, juicy, sweet, rather sugary; excellent culinary pear ”

“ The mountain pear is found growing only on barren heights, or on the sides of steep precipices; it grows on a tall, fluted-like stalk, that has the appearance of a well-wrought, fluted, slender pillar, full of strong, sharp prickles. The fruit is of the size of a pippin, its skin is of a beautiful crimson colour; when this pear is cut open, it presents an innumerable quantity of fine black seeds, which are covered with a juicy pulp of the same colour as the skin, its taste is much like that of a strawberry ”

“ In the orchard behind the house were numerous other pear-trees. There were no restrictions on those or on the early apples or plums; but every year grandmother half jokingly told us not to go to those two trees in the walled inclosure, and she never went there herself.
I must confess, however, that we young folks knew pretty well how those pears tasted. The Eastern Belle bore a large, long pear that turned yellow when ripe and had a fine rosy cheek on one side. The Indian Queen was a thick-bodied pear with specks under the skin, a deep-sunk nose and a long stem. ”

“ In determining the shape of the fruit, the pear should be held opposite to the eye perpendicular to the diameter from stem to calyx; or the fruit may be cut longitudinally at its widest diameter. The shape of the body of the pear is usually described first, followed by a description of the narrow part bearing the stem, if this neck is prominent enough to be noteworthy. A pear is pyriform when the curve formed by the body and neck is concave; turbinate, or top-shaped, when the body is nearly round with a short neck. ”

“ 600 She saw him watch the motions of her eye, And singled out a pear-tree planted nigh: 'Twas charged with fruit that made a goodly show, And hung with dangling pears was every bough. ”

“ The pears are very attractive in size, shape, and particularly in the bright lemon-yellow color, with a flaming cheek to the sun, the whole pear being characteristically marked with small, russet dots set in a pinkish circle. Of all summer pears the fruits of this one seem least inclined to rot at the center, and usually keep longer and ship better, although the skin is tender and bruises easily. The flesh is buttery, moderately juicy, sweet and rich, with a faint, pleasant perfume. ”

“ Shoots slender, light olive-brown. Fruit below medium, roundish-obovate, dull green, becoming pale yellow, slightly netted and patched with russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots; stem small, set in a small cavity; calyx open; segments long; basin small; flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, slightly astringent; good; Sept.
Wilde Filzbirne. 1. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:1. 1856.
A wild pear reported from Belgium about 1800. Fruit small, roundish, greenish, becoming yellowish, dotted with gray; stem long; flesh acid, becoming sweetish; poor; fall and winter. May be used for dwarfing. ”

“ An exquisite pear raised from seed by Leroy, Angers, Fr., in 1863. Fruit medium or above, globular-obtuse-pyriform, regular in outline; a second type of the variety is rather contorted and bossed; color greenish-yellow, dotted, striped and stained with russet; flesh white, fine, melting, granular about the core; juice plentiful, sweet, acid, and endowed with a delicious perfume; first ”

“ He joys to pull the ripened pear,
And clustering grapes with purple spread. ”

“ Fruit medium, globular-ovate, bossed; skin rough, dark yellowish-green, lightly marbled with gray and bright fawn; flesh citrine, fine, very melting and juicy, with a saccharine, sprightly flavor and delicate perfume; very good; Jan. to Mar.
Ruhschiebler. 1. Löschnig Mostbirnen 96, fig. 1913.
An Austrian perry pear. Fruit small to medium, globular-turbinate, yellow-green, with large and small russet dots; flesh coarse, juicy, with a strong acid taste; good for transportation ”

“ Botanists number from twenty to twenty-five species of pears, all of which are found in the northern hemisphere of the Old World, there being no true pear native to the southern hemisphere or to the New World. ”

“ The cellular tissue of which a Pear is composed differs from that of the apple in containing minute stony concretions which make it, in many varieties of the fruit, bite short and crisp; and its specific gravity is therefore greater than that of the apple, so much so that by taking a cube of each of equal size, that of the Pear will sink when thrown into a vessel of water, while that of the apple will float. The wood of the wild Pear is strong, and readily stained black, so as to look like ebony. It is much employed by wood-engravers. ”

“ At the small end, or where the stem of a pear would be placed, is a foot, or feeler, projecting, not only out of the shell, but also reaching out through an air-hole in the stone, and probably used to secure food. ”

“ The common pear is a well-known garden fruit, derived from an English stock, the wild pear tree (Pyrus communis) , which grows in hedges and thickets in Somersetshire and Sussex. It would be an endless task to describe the different known varieties of the cultivated pear. Some of these are very large, and others extremely small: some have a rich and luscious flavour, and others, as the iron pear, are so hard and disagreeable to the taste, as to be absolutely unfit to eat. Pears are chiefly used in desserts ”

“ As an early winter pear, it has no superior and few equals in appearance and quality of fruit. In appearance, the pear is of distinct type—large, very uniform, the sides slightly unequal, smooth of skin, yellow, marked and dotted with russet, faintly blushed, and borne on a very short, thick stem. A fruit of this variety can never be mistaken for that of another. The internal characters are scarcely less notable than the external ones. The yellowish-white flesh is firm but tender, slightly granular, very juicy, sweet, spicy, with a rich, vinous flavor. ”

“ Fruit small or very small; form rather inconstant, slightly obtuse-pyriform, or more obtuse-ovate; skin smooth and transparent and shining, clear pale yellow or of a white, waxy and pearl-like tone, sprinkled with greenish dots, with occasionally a blush of tender rose on the side next the sun; flesh very white, semi-fine, breaking and firm; juice rarely abundant, saccharine, savory although only slightly perfumed; a second class dessert pear ”