Among the European winter or late pears, perhaps we have no better than the Doyenne* D'Alencon (or new Easter Beurje, Doyenne D'Hiver Nouveau). Its qualities have been fully tested in many States, and prove to be uniformly good.

Tree, a fine, handsome grower, succeeding well on both stocks, quince or pear; a good bearer, and requiring but little pruning. Fruit, obovate, pyriform, medium size, heavy and solid. Stem, about one inch in length, medium size, and swollen at the base, and inserted in a shallow cavity, sometimes without any depression; eye closed, medium, and not deeply sunk. Skin, ruddy, pale green at the bottom, but dotted and speckled all over with numerous dots and shades, ripening, in some localities, with very rich, decided colors, which explain its synonyme of Doyenne Marbre (or marked, spotted Doyenne.) Flesh, white, firm, buttery, juicy, with flavor and sugar enough to make it a very fine winter fruit; not so high flavored as its congener, the old Doyenne D'Hiver (or Easter Buerre), but very pleasant, and destitute of grit, stones, and bitter spots, which so often render that fine fruit worthless.

* See Frontispiece.

Taking into consideration that the Easter Buerre yields only an average of one-half or one-third of a full crop of "very good" pears, we must look to the D'Alen-9on, if not as a substitute for the old Easter, at least as a valuable addition to our scanty stock of winter pears.

We ought to designate this pear under one of its synonymes, but its other name, Doyenne D'Hiver Nouveau, is altogether too long. "Six-legged" names should be avoided, when possible, in naming fruits.