Volume 125, Issue 3 page 4
An ancient Pear Tree - Mr. George K. Ritter of Norristown, 86 years old, has been visiting the Ritter homestead, where he was born, in Colebrookdale Township, Berks County, now belonging to John Ritter's estate. There is a pear tree, of the oats harvest variety, on the property which he things is 175 to 200 years old, and still bearing fruit. Mr. Ritter remembers eating fruit from the tree 80 years ago, when it was about the size it is now, and he relates that his great-grandfather, Matthias Ritter, who took up the land in 1731, found the tree standing near a spring, that later on the timber around the premises was cut away, but the pear tree was left to grow and flourish, which it has done ever since. It was a good-sized tree then, and had been planted for some time. This is the "boss" old pear tree in this part of Pennsylvania without a doubt. - Norristown Register.
Submitted by Betty.
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