Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, very productive, a regular bearer; branches strongly zigzag, brownish-red mingled with green and covered with scarf-skin; branchlets thick, reddish-brown mingled with green, smooth, pubescent on the new growth which later becomes glabrous, with numerous very small, conspicuous, raised lenticels. Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3-1/4 in. long, 1-1/2 in. wide, long-ovate or long-oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole pale green, glabrous. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short spurs; flowers open very early, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, slender, lightly pubescent, pale green. Fruit ripe late October to November; large, 3-1/16 in. long, 2-5/8 in. wide, uniform in size and shape, roundish-oval, tapering at both ends, ribbed, symmetrical; stem 1-1/8 in. long, very thick, often curved; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, smooth, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed; calyx partly open; lobes usually dehiscent, separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin usually very deep, abrupt, gently furrowed; skin thick, tough, smooth; color pale yellow, occasionally marked with russet; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh white, firm, granular, stringy, tender, juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor. Core very large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, 2 in each carpel, wide, long, very plump, acute. LE LECTIER =1.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 246. 1889. =2.= _Guide Prat._ 95. 1895. =3.= _Rev. Hort._ 466. 1899. =4.= _Garden_ =59=:14, 93, 124. 1901. =5.= _Soc. Nat. Hort. France Pom._ 420, fig. 1904. =6.= _Cat. Cong. Pom. France_ 287, fig. 1906. In size and beauty of fruit, Le Lectier surpasses most of its associates, and the quality is first rate in soils and climates to which the variety is suited. Unfortunately the tree, while very satisfactory in some situations, is capricious to both soils and climates, and is seldom at home on this side of the Atlantic. The season is December and January, when good pears are scarce, and it would seem that the fine, large fruits of this pear would be most acceptable for either home or market if it could be made to thrive. In Europe, it grows best on warm, rich soils.