Fruit below the middle size, of a turbinate figure, about two inches and a half long, and two inches and a quarter in diameter. Eye small, sunk in a shallow plaited basin. Stalk three quarters of an inch long, inserted in a small cavity. Skin rough, yellow. Flesh white, tender, full of an astringent juice, which renders it too austere to be eaten raw by some palates, but is excellent when stewed.

In use from February till May.

144. SPANISH BONCHRÉTIEN. Miller, No. 61. Bonchrétien d'Espagne. Duhamel, No. 89. t. 46. Fruit large, somewhat angularly pyramidal, about four inches long, and three inches in diameter. Eye small, with a short erect calyx, deeply sunk. Stalk one inch and a half long, inserted in an oblique, obtuseangled cavity. Skin pale yellowish green, tinged on the sunny side with streaks of dull red, thickly covered with brown specks. Flesh white, breaking. Juice not plentiful, subacid, with a pleasant astringency.

In eating in November and December.

This succeeds on both the Pear and the Quince. 145. TILLINGTON. Hort. Trans. Vol. iv. p. 521. Fruit of the shape and size of the Grey Doyenné, but more perfectly rounded at the crown, about two inches and three quarters long, and two inches and a half in diameter. Stalk short, fleshy at its insertion. Skin dull green on the shaded side, but of a dull brickdust red where exposed to the sun, the whole a good deal russetted. Flesh white, nearly buttery, with a little grit at the core, particularly rich and sweet, though not very juicy.

Ripe the middle of November, and will keep a considerable time without spoiling.

This hardy Pear, for orchard purposes, was raised from the seed of an autumn Bergamot, the blossom of which had been impregnated with the Jargonelle, in the

village of Tillington, near Hereford. Its fruit was sent to the Horticultural Society by Mr. Knight, of Downton Castle, in the autumn of 1820, the first year of the tree producing fruit.

146. VIRGOULEUSE. Langley, t. 67. fig. 2. Duhamel, No. 95. t. 51. Miller, No. 56.

Bujaleuf. Ib.
Chambrette. Ib.

Poire-glace. Jard. Fruit. t. 32.

Fruit pretty large, of a very regular obovate, pyramidal figure, about three inches and a quarter long, and two inches and a half in diameter. Eye small, rather deeply sunk. Stalk an inch long, inserted in a rather small oblique cavity. Skin very smooth, grass-green, turning to a pale yellow or citron colour as it ripens, sprinkled with numerous red dots, and occasionally a little tinged with red on the sunny side. Flesh melting, buttery, and full of an excellent, rich, and highly flavoured juice.

Ripe in November, and will keep two months.

The Virgouleuse Pear ripened at Twickenham, in 1727, on a south wall, September 20. O. S., or October 1. N. S. Langley.

It will succeed on both the Pear and the Quince. This is a most excellent Pear, requiring a good soil, and an east or south-east wall.

It takes its name from Virgoulé, a village of that name in the neighbourhood of St. Leonard, in Limousin, where it was raised, and sent to Paris, by the Marquis of Chambrette.

147. WINTER BONCHRÉTIEN. Langley, t. 68. fig. 3. Miller, No. 73.

Bonchrétien d'Hiver.

Duhamel, No. 87. t. 45.

Poire d'Angoisse. Jard. Fruit. t. 42.

Fruit very large, of an irregular, pyramidal figure; it is very broad at the upper end, and compressed below

the middle towards the stalk, where it is still broad, and somewhat obliquely truncate; a good-sized fruit is about four inches long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye of a middling size, with a long calyx, placed in a wide and deep hollow. Stalk one inch and a quarter long, a little bent, and obliquely inserted in a somewhat deep obtuse-angled cavity. Skin yellowish when fully matured, with a brown tinge on the sunny side. Flesh very tender, and breaking. Juice plentiful, very rich, saccharine, and highly perfumed.

In eating in January and February.

This Pear ripened at Twickenham in 1727, on a west wall, October 10. O. S., or October 21. N. S. Langley. It succeeds on both the Pear and the Quince.

This is undoubtedly one of the very best winter Pears, and is held, both in France and in this country, in the highest estimation. It requires to be planted in a good soil, and against a south or south-east wall, in order to have it perfectly ripened.

148. WINTER NELIS. Pom. Mag. t. 126.

Nelis d'Hiver.

Gardens.

Bonne de Malines.

Of many Flemish and English

Hort. Trans. Vol. iii. p. 353. La Bonne Malinoise. Hort. Trans. Vol. v. p. 408. t. 17., according to the Pom. Mag.

Fruit above the middle size, somewhat oval, broadest in the middle, narrowed towards the crown, and a little more so towards the stalk, about three inches and a quarter long, and two inches and three quarters in diameter. Eye open, slightly sunk in a rather narrow basin. Stalk one inch and a half long, inserted in a narrow and rather deep cavity. Skin dull greyish green, full of grey dots, covered partly, especially on the sunny side, with a brownish-grey russet. Flesh yellowish white, melting, buttery. Juice plentiful, sugary, rich, high flavoured, with a musky perfume.

In perfection in December and January.

This most excellent and valuable Pear was raised by M. Nelis, of Mechlin, in honour of whom it has been named; but before its present title was settled, it had acquired, in a few gardens, the name of Bonne de Malines, which it is but justice to put aside in favour of that here adopted.

It bears well as a standard in the Horticultural Garden at Chiswick, where the present description was taken in December, 1829; but it succeeds better on an east wall, where the fruit grows also larger.

149. WINTER ROUSSELET. Miller, No. 63.

Rousselet d'Hiver. Duhamel, No. 31. t. 19. f. 2. Fruit small, of a pyramidal figure, about two inches and a quarter long, and one inch and three quarters in diameter. Eye small, open, prominently seated on a well-rounded summit. Stalk half an inch long, thick, bent, obliquely inserted in a small cavity. Skin green, becoming yellow as it ripens, with a little colouring of red on the sunny side. Flesh buttery and melting. Juice plentiful, and well flavoured.

Ripe in January, and will keep till March.

It succeeds equally well on the Pear and on the Quince.

150. WINTER THORN. Miller, No. 58.

E'pine d'Hiver. Duhamel, No. 64. t. 44. f. 3.

Fruit pretty large, rather long and turbinate, about three inches long, and two inches and a quarter in diameter. Eye small, placed in a round shallow depression. Stalk an inch long or more, stout, curved, and inserted somewhat obliquely without any cavity. Skin smooth, pale green, becoming yellow as it ripens. Flesh melting and buttery, with a plentiful saccharine juice.

Ripe in November, and will keep till January.

This succeeds on both the Pear and the Quince; but,

like other Pears, if it is intended to be planted upon a dry soil, the Pear stock is by far the best.

Têton de Vénus. Bon Jard. 1827. p. 306.

Fruit very large, more so than the Catillac, and of a similar turbinate figure, generally about four inches long, and a little more in diameter. Eye large, rather deeply sunk. Stalk an inch long, inserted in a somewhat angular cavity. Skin smooth, yellowish brown, with grey specks, but of a fine red on the sunny side. Flesh tender, and free from the gritty nature of most baking Pears, for which purpose this is excellent.

In use from November till March or April.

The Bellissime is so named in consequence of its size and beauty.

152. BLACK PEAR OF WORCESTER. Miller, No. 62. Parkinson's Warden. Ib.

Pound Pear. Ib., but not the Pound Pear of Langley, t. 71. fig. 3.

Livre. Duhamel, No. 104.

Gros Rateau Gris.

Bon Jard. 1827. p. 315.

Grand Monarque. Knoop. Pom. p. 125. t. 8.

Groote Mogol. Ib.

Fruit very large, of a roundish turbinate figure, usually about four inches long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye small, placed in a wide and deep hollow. Stalk half an inch long, stout, inserted in a slight cavity. Skin rough, of an obscure red or brown colour on the sunny side, but more pale on the shaded part. Flesh very hard, coarse, of an austere taste, but very good when baked or stewed.

In use from November till February.

This grows very vigorously on the Pear, but does not succeed upon the Quince.