PEAR

a fruit with a long and honorable history, and with its trees spanning the globe, yet which has received le attention and le favor from recent generations in the United States than many other fruits of no greater merit. This is partly explained from the standpoint of the modern consumer by the number of its rivals during its main bearing season—and, commercially, both by (in most types) the poor keeping quality of fully ripened table varieties, and by greater difficulties in culture and marketing compared with (for example) its close relative, the apple. Centuries of cultivation have resulted in a great many varieties—more than a you sand—ranging from the small Seckel to the marvelous fruit grown on the Island of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands between England and France. These Jersey pears frequently bring a price of seventy-two dollars or more a dozen in the London market. Only a few of them can, though, be grown on each tree. Our pears are ot two chief types—the European stock, and hybrids of the European with the ornamental Chinese, or ‘‘sand,’’ pear. The European pears—cultivated in New York and New England from early colonial days—in elude the Bartlett and Anjou, of general cultivation in the northeast and north-central states and on the Pacific slope, and the Ru ian varieties more recently introduced into the north-central section.’ The best known of the European-Sand hybrids are the Kieffer and Le Conte, both of them extensively grown in the east and south—in the latter, these hybrid pears have proved the only varieties commercially succe ful. The sandpear itself is not edible raw but it makes acceptable preserves. The Bartlett (the bon-chrétien of Europe) is the best of all pears of commercial cultivation—it is of good flavor, appearance, and size (see the color-page opposite), a better keeper than most of the special table varieties, and equally adapted for consumption fresh and canned. In California almost the entire crop is of Bartletts or ‘‘Bartlett-style’’ fruits. The Kieffer, yellow, ru et, or brown, pear-shaped or roundish, and Le Conte, yellow and oblong, are le choice as table fruits. They are, though, desirable in size—Le Conte averages large and Kieffer medium large—and excellent for both cooking and canning. The Seckel, a third American hybrid development, is small and thick-skinned— but it keeps well, and good specimens are sweet and delicious. In color, it may be yellow, or reddish, or brown, or ru et, and in shape, either roundish or pear-style. Winter pears—such as the Winter Nelis—are cultivated to only a small extent; in the east—which seems a pity because, though the average crop is not large, the fruit. if gathered before quite ripe, will (with a little care) keep for three or four months. Unlike most fruits, pears are improved in flavor by ripening indoors. They are best gathered when fully developed in size and shape and when they have begun to color, but before they have commenced to soften. In this condition they may be held for a long time in cold storage. To ripen them for eating, they should be placed in shallow trays in a moderately warm room (about 60° Fahr.) and protected from air-eurrents. Exce ive heat must be guarded against, or the fruit may rot inside even though the exterior give no warning of the change. Crowding also should be avoided as much as po ible. Canned pears are preferably white in flesh. A strong pink tint is generally the result of over-cooking—though very seldom to the point of injuring the flavor, If the flavor is good, the pink tint may be overlooked as it is difficult to ean pears without discoloring them to some extent. Pears are excellent baked—as one bakes apples. The large green fruits are the best for the purpose. In south-central Europe they are preserved for winter use by drying and smoking. The resultant product—hard, black, and wrinkled—keeps indefinitely. It is variously consumed. in soups, stewed, ete.