The Duchesse D'angouleme Pear

A Freneli nobleman, observing his tenant about to destroy a fine, thrifty pear-tree, inquired the cause. lie was told that it was a chance seedling, and had borne no fruit in twenty years. lie had already cut its roota preparar tory to tlio iirst Btroke, but was ordered to let it reirain. lie, did so, and the following year it was loaded vvith sunerb l'ruit of an enthvly unknown variety, which at once beeame celebrated. The root-pruning the gardener liad given it worked like a eharni. For niany years afterwarda, when tlie Ducheas of Angouleme was passing through Lyons, its inlrabitants sent her their hoppitalittes. Nine fair maldens presented the Duchess with golden aalvers, on whicli lay heaped thisprecious fruit, and begged her to bestow on it her name; and the pear now recognized as the crowning glory of all fruits was thenceforward known as the Duchesse d'Angouleme. The, Duchesse is a very large pear, and one of the most profltable kinds to grow on the quince, for market, but in qualitv it lacks a considerable of boing