About fifteen years since a small pear-tree seedling came up in the garden of William Kelsey,Esq., Columbus, Ohio, and by him was staked and cared for, until about five years ago it fruited. At first the fruit was so unpromising in appearance, that Mr. Kelsey, not knowing at the time much of pears, or how to ripen them, considered it of little value. The second season of its fruiting, a German, working his garden, asked one day what he should do with the pears that were on that seedling tree. He was told to feed them to the cow. "Oh, no," says the man, "I can sell them for two dollars a bushel;" and this he was permitted to do. The following season the dealer to whom the German sold the pears came to engage the crop, and on conversing, Mr. Kelsey learned the pears were really good, if kept until they mellowed or ripened, and accordingly he saved up a portion of the crop, keeping some of them until February, when they were found to be delicious in eating.

FiG. 106. - The Kelsey Pear.

This season I have received and eaten of the fruit, and after visiting and examining the tree, make the following description:

Tree, upright, partially spreading in habit, vigorous but not rampant grower, making annual shoots of medium size and length; young wood, dull yellow brown; leaf, small, regular oval pointed; leaf-stalk, slender; bud, prominent, pointed.

Fig. 107. - Outline of Kelsey Pear.

Fruit, above medium to large - see the two outlines; - form, roundish obovate, surface uneven; color, dull green, becoming yellowish when well ripened - some considerable marblings of russet toward the calyx end, and slight scattered traces and dots of russet all over the surface - many small dark green dots; stem, slender, about one inch long, set in a broad acute cavity with a slight lip; calyx, small, open, with short, erect segments; basin, varying - in some broad and open, in others narrow acute, sometimes slightly furrowed; skin, thick and harsh; flesh, greenish whitish yellow, fine-grained, melting buttery, juicy, vinous, sweet, slightly aromatic ; core, small, without any harshness or gritty surrounding; seeds, very plump, oblong obovate pointed, light brown with a dark rim. Season, from October to February, ripening along gradually.