While the rage for novelties keeps fresh and warm, it is not well to leave to cold neglect the good old stand-bys that have given us pleasure in the past, and show no disposition whatever to "runout" or in the least shirk the duty they have assumed of giving us full return for the attention paid them. True, some of these do not do well everywhere.

They are not wholly destitute of local tastes and prejudices, and yet there are few among pears that have this flaw in their character to any great degree. Most will do well anywhere.

The pear we now illustrate is a comparatively old one, and though so highly esteemed in its own country, France, it is comparatively unknown in English gardens. The pear an English orchardist would recommend for the best early would be Doyenne d'Ete; yet so little do American pear growers think of it, that its name does not occur at all in the list of the American Pomological Society, while the one we now illustrate is recommended as worthy of planting in eleven States. In France the great number of synonyms at once attests its popularity. It is known as Citron des Carmes (being first cultivated by the monks known as Carmelites), Magdelen, and Saint Madeleine, and in Germany it has had the names of Grune Sommer Magdalena and Grune Magda-lena. On the Channel islands, off the coast of France, it is known as Early Chaumontelle. A variety of names is always a sign that a variety is very widely grown. It ripens about the St. Madeleine's day in France, and has derived its name therefrom.

Near Philadelphia it ripens early in July, and is gone just as Osband's Summer comes in. We are not quite sure that it is so very much better than Doyenne d'Ete that this kind deserves to be so entirely ignored by the American Pomological Society. Still, we think it deserves the position it occupies in the Society's catalogue.

Downing gives no cut to illustrate the variety, so we supply this, and quote from this author the description: "The Madeleine is one of the most refreshing and excellent of the early pears. The tree is fruitful and vigorous, with long, erect olive-colored branches. Fruit of medium size, obovate pyriform. Stalk long and slender, often nearly two inches, set on the side of a slight swelling. Pale, yellowish green (very rarely with a brownish blush and russet specks around the stalk) calyx, small, in a very shallow-furrowed basin. Flesh white, juicy, melting, with a sweet and delicate flavor, slightly perfumed, good to very good. Middle to last of July".

The catalogue of the American Pomological Society says that it is reported subject to blight in some localities. We suppose fire blight is intended, for, as regards leaf blight it is, we believe, one of the most free from that trouble. If any of our readers have had extra success or unusual difficulty with it, we should be glad to know.