ANOTHER noble fruit of American origin, too, worthy of special note. The Lawrence is a native of Flashing, Long Island, but we have no statistics or facts to guide us, when, where, or by whom. It is a variety as yet not generally planted by the mass of cultivators, but highly appreciated by all who have become aware of its special excellencies. The tree itself is but a very moderate grower while in the nursery, but once established in the orchard it grows freely, and comes into bearing at an age of from six to ten years. The tree itself is handsome, symmetrical, branches spreading, admirably adapted for pyramidal culture, and entirely exempt from the blight. We have yet to hear of a single instance where it has been seriously attacked by this insidious disease. It possesses also another excellent qualification, viz., holding its leaves the entire summer, often in seasons of extreme heat or severe drought its foliage remain untouched and never withers. This adapts it extremely well to cultivation in our Southern States, where but very few sorts are able to withstand this most rigorous test. The tree is hardy, able to stand severe cold, is long lived, and when once in bearing seldom fails, and grows more productive year after year.

Still another qualification must be noticed, better than all the rest. It is a splendid winter variety and an excellent keeper. It ripens usually from November 1st to December 1st, and keeps well until February and March. It possesses the valuable property of keeping without shrivelling, and ripens off gradually, with ordinary care, as well as any good winter apple.

A good idea of the manner of growth of the tree is gained from the accompanying illustration. Its habit is vigorous, upright, regular branches, with slender, annual shoots, and small, thick, oblong leaves, of a dark, glossy green. It succeeds upon either the pear or quince root, but as a standard is by far the most valuable. We have seen trees six years of age which would bear fully twice as much fruit as the Bartlett or Beurre d'Anjou, and from the fact that it ripens at a time when nearly all other pears are gone, or few are left, it proves to be fully twice as profitable. The flavor is rich, juicy, sugary, aromatic; flesh, yellowish white; color, lemon yellow, marbled with dull green, with traces of russet, or sometimes covered thickly with minute brown dots, with often a tinge of red on the side exposed to the sun.

Its size is only medium, but the fruit is often found in clusters of two or more together, and what is lost in size is made up in productiveness. As an orchard sort it is unsurpassed among all winter varieties, and we esteem it now the very best and most profitable late variety that any cultivator can select as a standard. It seems to be without a fault, save that it requires considerable age to reach its full productiveness.