Mural paintings which have been disclosed at Pompeii represent the
Pear tree and its fruit. In Pliny's time there were "proud" Pears, so
called because they ripened early, and would not keep; and "winter"
pears for baking, etc. Again, in the time of Henry the Eighth, a
"warden" Pear, so named (Anglo-Saxon "wearden") from its
property of long keeping, was commonly cultivated.

"Her cheek was like the Catherine Pear,
The side that's next the sun,"

says one of our old poets concerning a small fruit seen often
now-a-days in our London streets, handsome, but hard, and
ill-flavoured.

The special taste of Pears is chemically due for the most part to their
containing amylacetate; and a [422] solution of this substance in
spirit is artificially prepared for making essence of Jargonelle Pears,
as used for flavouring Pear drops and other sweetmeats. The acetate
amyl is a compound ether got from vinegar and potato oil. Pears
contain also malic acid, pectose, gum, sugar, and albumen, with
mineral matter, cellulose, and water. Gerard says wine made of
the juice of Pears, called in English, Perry, "purgeth those that
are not accustomed to drinke thereof, especially when it is new;
notwithstanding, it is as wholesome a drink (being taken in small
quantity) as wine; it comforteth and warmeth the stomacke, and
causeth good digestion."

Perry contains about one per cent. alcohol over cider, and a slightly
larger proportion of malic acid, so that it is rather more stimulating,
and somewhat better calculated to produce the healthful effects of
vegetable acids in the economy. How eminently beneficial fruits of
such sort are when ripe and sound, even to persons out of health, is
but little understood, though happily the British public is growing
wiser to-day in this respect. For instance, it has been lately
discovered that there is present in the juice of the Pine-apple a
vegetable digestive ferment, which, in its action, imitates almost
identically the gastric juices of the stomach; and a demand for
Bananas is developing rapidly in London since their wholesome
virtues have become generally recognised. It is a remarkable fact
that the epidemics of yellow fever in New Orleans have declined in
virulence almost incredibly since the Banana began to be eaten there
in considerable quantities. If a paste of its ripe pulp dried in the
sun be made with spice, and sugar, this will keep well for years.

At Godstone, as is related in B