PEAR Pyrus communis, a tree of the same genus with the apple (see Pvnus), and like it rue of the most extensively cultivated and valuable fruit-trees of temperate cli mates. The leaves are ovate, serrated, snmotliem both surfaces, and without glands; the flowers are produced in corymbs, which may almost be called umbels, and are smaller than those of the apple; the styles are distinct, and not combined at the base, as in the apple; and the fruit is hemispherical at one end, tapering gradually away, more or less rapidly, to a point at the other. The pear-tree grows wild in woods and in Britain, on the continent of Europe, and throughout the temperate parts of Asia. In it?: wild state it is usually either a large shrub or a small tree, thorny, and with small austere fruit. In cultivation it is without thorns, becomes a tree of 40 or 50 feet high, sometimes more; and its stem attains a diameter of three feet. Cultivation has wrought even greater changes in the size and quality of its fruit, The pear has been cultivated from remote antiquity. Its cultivation was probably introduced into Britain by the Romans. The cultivated varieties are extremely numerous; and many new ones of great excellence have recently been produced. The jargonelle pear may be mentioned as one of the most esteemed of the varieties long known in Britain. Some of the kinds called bergamot and BMW are highly esteemed. Many new kinds have recently been introduced into Britain from France and Belgium. The varieties of pear differ much in hardiness and in fitness for particular soils; although a deep, moderately strong, dry, loamy soil is the best for this fruit. The finer varieties are cultivated in Britain as wall trees. Pears succeed well as espaliers. They are generally grafted on seedling stocks of the wild pear, but sometimes on the rowan, and sometimes on the quince. Pears grafted on quince stocks are the best for shallow soils. The flowers and fruit of the pear arc mostly produced on spurs, which spring from branches of more than one year old. Various modes of training and pruning are practiced for pear-trees, Among the varieties of pears are sonic which ripen early in autumn, and some which do not ripen till the beginning of winter, and which even require to be mellowed by keeping for a short-time; whilst some of the kinds cannot easily be kept for more than a few (lays.
In general, pears cannot be kept so long nor so easily as apples. Pears are sometimes made into a preserve with syrup; and sometimes cut into pieces,' and dried in the sun or in an oven, to be afterwards used in pies, a practice very prevalent in France.—A very agreeable fermented liquor called perry is made from pears, in the same manner as eider from apples; and pear orchards for this purpose are to be seen in some parts of Eng land, especially in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The varieties of pear cultivated for making perry are all rather austere, and those which yield the best perry are far too austere to be palatable.—The wood of pear-tree is reddish, very hard, tine-grained, and valuable to turners and joiners. It is often dyed black in imitation of ebony, which it then greaty resembles.
Besides the varieties of pear usually referred to pyrus communis, some are occasion ally cultivated which are generally regarded as distinct species. Such are the AURELIAN PEAR (P. Salqfolia), a native of France, with leaves much narrower than the common pear, and a long fruit, which is used for making perry; the SNOWY PEAR (P. avails), a native of the Alps of Austria, with oval obtuse leaves, white and silky beneath, and a globose fruit, which is very acid till it become quite ripes, or is beginning to decay, when it is very sweet; the SAND PEAR (P. Sinensz:s), a native of China and Cochin-China, with heart-shaped, shining, almost evergreen leaves, and apple-shaped warted fruit, very gritty, and fit only for baking, cultivated in Fardens in India, but hardy in Britain. The PASRIA. (P. pashia or P. rariolosa), is a native of the Himalaya; the fruit of which is only edible when Wetted or partially decayed. The Pituroo (P. lanata) is another Him alayau species with edible fruit. Both are quite hardy in Britain.